A dinner hosted by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan for President Pranab Mukherjee, now on his annual southern sojourn, at the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday evening provided a platform for Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh K. Chandrasekhar Rao and N. Chandrababu Naidu respectively to talk to each other after nearly a year.
It was at the ‘Ayutha Chandi Yagam’ performed by Mr. Rao at Erravelli in December last year that they had met previously.
As soon as the ceremonies, including the playing of national anthem, on arrival of Mr. Pranab Mukherjee at Raj Bhavan were completed, the President was flanked by the two Chief Ministers at his seat on the lawns.
They sat for sometime as Mr. Mukherjee was introduced to all the invitees in batches of ten each. The introduction lasted nearly an hour during which the Governor was seen suggesting to Mr. Rao and Mr. Naidu to interact.
They stood at a distance and engaged themselves in a talk for over 20 minutes. Sources said the discussions between the two Chief Ministers centred around ending the unresolved issues between the two States, particularly the vexed division of the 150 State public undertakings. A committee with Ministers T. Harish Rao of Telangana and Y. Ramakrishnudu of AP and some other officials was recently formed to end the stalemate. Earlier, a Centre appointed committee headed by retired IAS officer Sheela Bhide went into it initially but could not make much headway.
The Chief Ministers, apart, the Acting Chief Justice of High Court, Speakers and chairmen of both Assemblies and Legislative Councils and a number of political leaders were present. Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu and tennis star Sania Mirza were also present.
Twenty tables were arranged on the lawns for the dinner that included Hyderabadi cuisine like Nizami Handi, Hyderabadi Subz Biryani and Aloo Katliyan.
