Narasimhan is now most powerful Governor
E.S.L. Narasimhan will rule both divided AP and Telangana with special powers on law and order in Hyderabad.
With the President according his assent to two key bills —Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill and imposition of President’s Rule in the combined Andhra Pradesh — on Saturday, state Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will rule both divided AP and Telangana with special powers on law and order in Hyderabad.
Though efforts have been made to ease him out of his post for the last one week, Narasimhan, who enjoyed the full support of Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and later became a confidant of Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, has foiled them successfully. At one stage, former Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit was tipped to replace Narasimhan. Only a few weeks before, outgoing Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy complained to the Union Home Ministry against Narasimhan. Kiran, in his complaint objected to the way the Governor had cleared three out of four names proposed by him for MLCs. The one turned down was R. Raghurami Reddy, Kiran’s classmate from Hyderabad Public School.
He alleged that Narasimhan had violated the Constitution by ignoring his recommendation.
However, the top brass of Congress firmly stood behind Narasimhan. Now that President’s Rule has been clamped in the state, the 67-year-old Tamil Nadu born former bureaucrat is unlikely to be disturbed till elected governments are in place in the two states in the next few months.
Ever since he came to Andhra Pradesh in December 2010, Narasimhan has been in the thick of controversies for his proactive role in the state administration. The Governor’s role had come down after Kiran became the CM in November 2011. On 28 February, Narasimhan ordered the withdrawal of two bullet proof vehicles from Kiran’s convoy.
Narasimhan is likely to hold special powers to monitor law and order in Hyderabad, where people from Seemandhra face threats from the locals. Even though TRS, MIM and other parties oppose these special powers of the Governor, Narasimhan has already summoned senior police officers to the Raj Bhavan to discuss the matters on Monday.