Governor Asked To Rein In Warring Telugu States

Governor E S L Narasimhan was advised by the Centre to tread cautiously in the note-for-vote case and leave the matter to the investigating agencies, and at the same time keep the raging war between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from escalating.

The Centre's guidelines to douse the prevailing political fracas between the two Telugu states are understood to have been conveyed to the Governor during his meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the national capital on Friday morning.

The Governor seemed to have received full authorization from New Delhi to act to stop the two Telugu States from being at loggerheads day in and day out.

Narasimhan, who reached New Delhi on Thursday evening upon a call from the MHA, met Union Home Secretary L C Goyal and other senior officials of the MHA and first apprised them of the developments unfolding in the wake of the note-for-vote scandal leading to the arrest of TDP MLA Revanth Reddy and two others.

He is also understood to have apprised the MHA officials of the ACB probe into the scam.

According to informed sources, the Governor also brought to the notice of the MHA officials the raging controversy surrounding the demand by AP and Telangana TDP leaders for invoking Section 8 of the AP Reorganization Act.

Narasimhan also communicated to the MHA the tirade being launched by the TDP leaders, including AP ministers, against him, accusing him of acting in a partisan manner.

Later the Governor called on Rajnath Singh and had a detailed meeting with him wherein he again apprised him of the goings-on in the two Telugu states, especially with regard to administering law and order in the joint capital of Hyderabad.

The Governor is understood to have made it clear that there was no threat to the law and order situation in Hyderabad, and that a bogey was being raised about the threat to the Andhra settlers. Hyderabad was peaceful, and people belonging to both the states were living peacefully in Hyderabad, he is stated to have emphasized.

The Governor had two sittings with the Union Home Minister and one with the MHA officials. During these meetings which lasted over one-and-a-half hours, the Governor is understood to have communicated that the Revanth Reddy note-for-vote case and the controversy over Section 8 were two separate issues.

As far as the scam was concerned, let the investigation authorities do their job, the Governor was told. As for the raging fire over Section 8 of the A P Reorganization Act, certain guidelines were provided to him to keep the matter from reaching a boiling point.

After his marathon meetings with the Union Home Minister and the officials of the MHA, the Governor avoided speaking to the waiting media personnel and drove away. (NSS)