Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan has become controversial for all major political parties, including the ruling Congress, in Telangana.
Congress, Telugu Desam, Bharatiya Janata Party and Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders from the region have branded Mr. Narasimhan as “anti-Telangana” and raised the demand for his “immediate recall.”
They allege that an “undeclared President’s rule” is in force in the State as the Governor is running the “entire show.”
A former Indian Police Service officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, Mr. Narasimhan always remained in news ever since he took over as full-time Governor of the State on January 22, 2010.
He was seen playing a more active role in the administration when K Rosaiah was Chief Minister and the agitation for Telangana was at its peak early last year.
He regularly visited New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICC president Sonia Gandhi and other Central leaders and submit reports on the political and law and order situations in the State.
The “police style of functioning” of Mr. Narasimhan, however, has not gone down well with the separatist elements.
Now, what has angered the Telangana protagonists most is the Governor’s meeting with Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi the other day apart from his interaction with Manmohan Singh and other Central leaders.
“In what capacity did he (Narasimhan) meet Sonia and submit a report on the law and order situation in the state? The Governor has been acting in an extra-constitutional manner and an agent of the ruling Congress,” BJP senior leader Bandaru Dattatreya asks.
Even the ruling Congress leaders from Telangana took strong exception to the Governor’s meeting with their party chief. “The Governor is clearly overstepping his brief,” they lashed out.
The Telangana leaders are incensed with Mr. Narasimhan as they feel Central para-military forces have been deployed in large numbers on Osmania University campus and other places only at his behest.
TRS leader Nayini Narasimha Reddy said the State was “already under President’s rule” as the Governor was ruling the roost with the Chief Minister becoming “totally ineffective.”
The TDP leaders from Telangana, in fact, organised a protest outside the Raj Bhavan the other day demanding that the Centre immediately recall the Governor.
“The Governor is unduly interfering in political affairs and running the State. He is playing politics,” Telugu Desam Telangana Forum convenor Nagam Janardhana Reddy alleged.
The Justice Srikrishna Committee report was prepared against Telangana only at Mr. Narasimhan’s behest, he said.
Now, the pro-Telangana leaders are raising objection to the very appointment of Mr. Narasimhan as Governor in the first place. “How can a person who served in the State IPS cadre be appointed as Governor to the same State,” TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy questioned. This was unconstitutional, he contended.
The Telangana outfits have now decided to step up their fight for removal of the Governor.
