What does withdrawal of the special security cover of Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna and Nirmal legislator A. Indrakaran Reddy, which happened five days back, indicate? Does it mean that the two former Ministers are out of reckoning for a berth in the Cabinet to be expanded on January 19?
The timing of the government pulling out the security, which was continued even after the Assembly election, has come as a shocker to the camp of followers of both the leaders.
"It has happened at a time when the exercise for expansion of the Cabinet is going on," pointed out a 'troubled' supporter of Mr. Ramanna expressing his doubt about the four-time MLA’s inclusion in the Ministry.
The doubt of the supporter, who requested anonymity, seems to be baseless as the government has not singled out the MLAs but has done the same with all the Ministers in the last Cabinet.
‘Stand by’
“Orders for the armed personnel who were drawn from the security wing of the police department in Hyderabad are to stand by,” revealed a former local securityman with Mr. Reddy hinting that the leaders could figure in the short list of Cabinet members but the argument did not convince the followers of the former Ministers.
“If the CM had intended to allot security cover after constituting the Cabinet, the vehicles should have been recalled much earlier like soon after election results. Coming at this juncture, it seems as if the security has been snatched away to make it abundantly clear that the leaders are going to sit out,” a supporter of the Nirmal MLA opined.
“The sudden doing away with the security cover has also robbed the MLAs of the grandeur that the police vehicles helps create. Imagine what it feels to be without a convoy led by police vehicles with the siren on full blast after enjoying the privilege for four-and-a-half years,” observed a political leader in his effort to explain the importance of special security.
A Minister gets a five-man guard detail at his residence besides a five armed policemen pilot vehicle and an escort with an equal number of armed policemen. In addition, there are two personal security officers alloted to the incumbent.
There are rumours that the Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao is unhappy with the performance of the two leaders from old united Adilabad district during their earlier stint. Also, he is likely to induct new faces in his Cabinet, according to the grapevine.
