The only ministry that is at work in the Secretariat is that of the Chief Minister, with the rest of his 40 colleagues not taking their functions of state administration seriously.
The only ministry that is at work in the Secretariat is that of the Chief Minister, with the rest of his 40 colleagues not taking their functions of state administration seriously.
That is what any layman can find for himself, with the main entrance of the Secretariat also wearing a deserted look, with only a handful seeking entry, as against a huge turnout during former chief minister YSR's regime.
Of course, a couple of steadfast ministers like Danam Nagender (Labour & Employment), Dr. D L Ravindra Reddy (Health), Damodar Raja Narasimha (Agriculture, and also Deputy CM) hop in periodically to make their presence felt, probably to placate their 'boss'.
This way, the entire burden of carrying the administration, or at least feigning brisk working at the state headquarters, is being shouldered by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Reddy has been conducting roughly one review meeting everyday with officials, on topics of vital significance.
Meanwhile, sources estimate that in the CMO alone, over 1,200 files are pending. The disposal of the files cannot happen unless official queries are clarified.
The question is - how long does this go on?
Well, as long as the Centre hold the key to burning issues like Telangana and the deletion of Clause 14 (F), an official shot back, without mincing words.
To the question "Does it mean that the Congress High Command fires the final round of shots on any issue?", the official instantly replied in the affirmative.
The Centre, according to another reliable source, might take recourse to the 'Gorkhaland' pattern of settlement for Telangana, which would protect the vote bank of the Congress in the other 2 regions.
Also, in the recent past, the Centre had suggested that the state Assembly pass another 'resolution' on the Floor for deleting the controversial Clause 14 (F).
In 2010, in the government of the then Chief Minister K Rosaiah, all the members had unanimously resolved in the House to scrap the Clause. The resolution was then dispatched to New Delhi, which has been kept under wraps.
Now, with legislators (of all political parties) from Andhra and Rayalaseema remaining opposed to the scrapping of the said Clause, members cutting across party lines would vote against its deletion, for retaining Hyderabad as a free zone.
Out of the 294-member Assembly, MLAs from the Telangana region (with 10 districts) would be pushed into a minority in the House, should there be a voting on the subject. Their counterparts will score a victory on any resolution including the cited issue. The Congress High Command has now predicted precisely such a move, in order to spurn the earlier plea. (INN)