Telangana: Rift between BRS government, Governor resurfaces

The differences between the BRS government and Raj Bhavan in Telangana came to fore once again on Thursday with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao staying away from the Republic Day celebrations held at Raj Bhavan here. Soundararajan, who assumed office as Governor in 2019, has been accusing the state government of not adhering to protocol with regard to her office.

Pointing to officials not observing protocol during her visits to districts, she has maintained that the office of the Governor should be respected. However, the ruling BRS has denied the charge and said prior to her appointment as the Governor, she was president of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, and was using the constitutional post to indulge in politics.

Asked what the Constitution says about CM attending the Republic Day event and others, legal expert and former Central Information Commissioner Madabhushi Sridhar Acharyulu stated that these are conventions which need to be followed by all to maintain the dignity of the occasion.

A row broke out last year when the Governor's customary address to the Assembly did not take place. Soundararajan had expressed displeasure over the CM not attending the customary 'At Home' hosted by her at the Raj Bhavan. In an open face-off with the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led dispensation, the governor had last year expressed doubts that her phones were being tapped.

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to conduct Republic Day celebrations in a grand manner, with a ceremonial parade, as per the instructions issued by the Central government. The high court passed the order after hearing a petition seeking a direction to the government to organise the parade as part of the celebrations.

Meanwhile, Rao unfurled the National Flag at Pragati Bhavan, his camp office-cum-official residence here, and paid offered floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar, an official release said. Rao visited the Army Memorial at Secunderabad and paid homage to those who sacrificed their life for the country, it said.