Will Governor favour President Rule?

Political Circles in Andhra Pradesh are abuzz with whispers over the AICC High Command’s summons to State Governor ESL Narasimhan. It is pointed out that there is more to it than meets the eye.

The Governor has ostensibly been called to New Delhi for a first-hand feedback from the horse’s mouth with regard to the volatile situation that prevails in the ten districts of Telangana region, including Hyderabad. 

It is believed that by calling him a day ahead of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the party bosses want to send the message loud and clear-there would be nothing honky dory hereafter. 

Driven to a Catch-22 situation, the Congress high command is in no position to initiate disciplinary charges against errant party leaders, who have been defying the diktat time and again. The fear stems from the fact that Andhra Pradesh sends the maximum party members (33) to the Lok Sabha. 

Veteran Congress leaders from the State have been cautioning the high command that rubbing the defiant leaders on the wrong side would be nothing short of political suicide. 

Ironically, several Congress MPs have refused to toe the party line and have shunned crucial Parliament sessions, despite whip-like messages. The party Legislators have been playing hide-and-seek in their own way, much to the chagrin of 10, Janpath. 

In the circumstances, Narasimhan’s visit assumes political significance. It may be recalled that the Governor was at the receiving end of the Telangana Congress and TRS leaders’ vociferous tirade earlier on.

Many theories are floating and each has a potent point to substantiate individual claims and charges. For instance, there are intelligence reports that naxalites have begun infiltrating into their former strongholds under the guise of Telangana agitations. There is a marked contrast between the reports sent by Kiran Kumar Reddy and the APCC Chief Botsa Satyanarayana on the fluid situation in the State capital. Even as the Sakula Janula Samme entered its 24thday today, the Congress leaders from Telangana continue with their rebellion, which is nothing short of disobedience.

A senior Congress leader believes that with no other option to contain the proponents of Telangana State beside the overall failure of government machinery, Mr Narasimhan would suggest a brief spell of President Rule. This is more so because no amount of invitations for across-the-table dialogue have yielded results.

The ball is back in the court of the party bosses and not that of the UPA.