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Jagan meets Governor on Polavaram, polls

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Jagan meets Governor on Polavaram, polls

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday met Governor Bishwabhusan Harichandan to discuss a host of crucial issues.

On the eve of Diwali, Jagan extended his greetings to the Governor. Among the key issues, Jagan reportedly discussed the local bodies elections which were postponed by state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar in March in view of the spread of coronavirus. The SEC had recently held an all-party meeting to arrive at a consensus on holding elections to local bodies, even was the ruling YSRCP stayed away from the meeting. The Andhra Pradesh government had filed a petition in the High Court that elections should not be held in view of the pandemic situation.

Jagan also apprised the Governor about the Polavaram project and the pending dues of ₹4,013 crore from the central government. The Chief Minister reportedly informed about the central government’s decision to cap project cost to Rs 20,398 crore as against the Rs 47,725 crore. Jagan had already written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying capping the project cost would result in the project remaining incomplete.

Another key that came up for discussion was the appointment of VCs. The Andhra Pradesh government has sent the file on the appointment on VCs, but the Governor is yet to take a call on it.

Jagan also discussed with the Governor on holding the next Assembly session and the Bills that needed to be passed.

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Did Governor Bishwabhushan Harichandan acted out of bias

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Did Governor Bishwabhushan Harichandan acted out of bias

In a tearing hurry, Governor Bishwabhushan Harichandan on Friday approved the two controversial bills — the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of all Regions Bill and APCRDA Repeal Bill paving the way for creating three capitals in the state.

This isn’t the first time that a governor of a state has acted in a partisan and biased manner. In no way will it be the last, either.

Earlier, the Governor had passed an ordinance promulgated to reduce the State Election Commissioner’s term to three from five years. The Governor had given his assent to remove Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as SEC. He gave his assent even as the case was sub-judice with at least three petitions pending in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The next day, the Andhra Pradesh government had appointed 75-year-old retired judge Kangaraju who later met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan.

However, the High Court had reinstated Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar despite the Governor passing the Ordinance promulgated by the Andhra Pradesh government. In a way, the High Court verdict was not just a blow to the Andhra Pradesh government, but a huge embarrassment to the Governor.

This time, the Governor gave his assent to the two controversial bills even as the matter is pending in the High Court. However, the Governor stated that he approved the two Bills after thorough consultations with legal experts. The Governor’s move gains significance as the matter is sub-judice, pending before the High Court.

The same story is likely to repeat again, mostly likely his decision will prove to be a historical blunder. The Governor’s assent will be open to legal challenge and stand before the courts. However, his assent to the two Bills should not come as a surprise as the Governor while addressing the Assembly session via video-conference from Raj Bhavan had clearly stated that the creation of three capitals will be a reality. The Governor’s statement from Raj Bhavan comes even as the matter was pending in the High Court.

The Governor has approved the bills notwithstanding a demand by the Opposition parties to refer them to President Ram Nath Kovind. Both the Bills were passed in the Assembly in January and introduced in the Council, while the chairman referred them to the Select Committee. The two Bills require deeper examination.

The bills were halted in the Assembly for the second time as the session was suspended amid pandemonium. Telugu Desam Party has requested the Governor not to give assent to the two Bills as the Legislative Council had disapproved the state government policy in this regard.

The Governor’s nod should also not come as a surprise for another reason: Governors in the country are too well-known to have acted in a partisan fashion and served the agendas of parties they belonged to or are closer to.

The governor is appointed by the President who acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers at the Centre as per Article 74 of the Constitution. In essence, the governor is chosen by the government of the day. Therefore, Governors are explicitly or implicitly political appointees.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Harichandan takes cue from Tamilsai Soundarajan on Covid-19

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Harichandan takes cue from Tamilsai Soundarajan on Covid-19

Andhra Pradesh Governor Bishwabhusan Harichandan seems to have taken a cue from his Telangana counterpart Dr Tamilsai Soundararajan.

On Tuesday, he held a video-conference from Raj Bhavan in Vijaywada to take stock of the Covid-19 situation in the state.

In the video-conference, Andhra Pradesh Governor discussed in detail with Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney and principal secretary (health) to review the measures being initiated by the state government to combat the pandemic. Harichandan enquired from the top officials on testing, treatment and medical facilities in government hospitals. The video-conference was also attended by Medical, Health and Family Welfare commissioner K Bhaskar and Rajamouli.

Harichandan’s video-conference with Andhra Pradesh chief secretary comes in the wake of the state reporting more than 4,000 new coronavirus cases and 54 deaths during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infections in the state to 53,724 and the fatalities to over 696. Last Saturday, the state reported record 3,963 new Covid-19 cases with 52 virus-related deaths.

In Telangana, Dr Tamilsai Soundararajan had been proactive in assessing the Covid-19 situation in the state. She had openly expressed her anguish and unhappiness over the KCR government’s handling of the pandemic. She also called Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and Special Chief Secretary (Health) Shanti Kumari to Raj Bhavan to assess the situation in the state. On several occasions, the Governor was openly critical of the government’s handling of Covid-19 situation in the state, patients being overcharged by private hospitals and lack of equipment in government hospitals. She criticised the government for not testing enough and advised the government to ramp up the testing in the state.

The Governor’s public criticism over the state’s response to the pandemic did not go down too well with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who met her at Raj Bhavan on July 20. The Telangana CM had discussed the measures the government has been taking to contain the spread of the virus, testing and treatment being given to the Covid-19 patients in various government hospitals in the state

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

AP govt spying on me: Ramesh Kumar to Governor

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AP govt spying on me: Ramesh Kumar to Governor

After filing a contempt petition in the High Court, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday has written a letter to Andhra Pradesh governor Bishwabhushan Harichandan that the Andhra Pradesh government has been constantly spying and tracking his movements in Hyderabad with the help of the city police.

Ramesh Kumar, who filed a contempt petition in the High Court against the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday, stated in his letter to the Governor that there is a 24-hour surveillance outside his Hyderabad residence in Prashant Nagar.

A four-wheeler and a two-wheeler parked outside his residence follows him wherever he goes. He also stated that his phone was tapped. In the letter, he apprised the Governor that the Jagan government was stopping his entry into the state.

Ramesh Kumar’s letter follows the select leak of CCTV footage from Park Hyatt in Hyderabad where he met BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sujana Chowdary and former minister and current BJP leader Kamineni Srinivas which had sparked off a political row. Doubts were raised about how and by whom the CCTV footage was leaked in breach of an individual’s privacy.

Ramesh Kumar in his letter informed the Governor that he had earlier written a letter to the Union Home Ministry fearing a threat to his life, a fact that was acknowledged by Minister of State for Home Kishan Reddy. However, the Andhra Pradesh government doubted that the letter was fake and ordered a CID probe only to harass him, Ramesh Kumar stated in his letter.

It may be recalled that Ramesh Kumar had sent a five-page letter to the Union Home Secretary apprehending a threat to his life and that of his family members. In the letter, Ramesh Kumar noted that ever since the State Election Commission as a constitutional authority took the decision to defer the elections by six weeks there was an unprecedented assault on him and the State Election Commission “by no less than the Chief Minister who had attacked me in most vitriolic and offending language casting aspersions and prejudice.”

Earlier in the day, Ramesh Kumar, who was removed as SEC by the Jagan government but reinstated by the Andhra Pradesh High court, on Wednesday filed a contempt case in the court against the state government for dishonouring its directive. In the contempt petition, Ramesh Kumar has contended that the Jagan government had failed to honour the High Court’s order reinstating him as the State Election Commissioner.

It may be noted that the Andhra Pradesh government on April 10 had promulgated an ordinance to remove Ramesh Kumar from his post after he put off civic body elections citing coronavirus.

After ousting Ramesh Kumar as SEC, the state government had appointed retired Tamil Nadu judge Kanagaraju as the new SEC. Hearing a batch of petitions including the one filed by Ramesh Kumar, the Andhra Pradesh High Court reversed the government’s decision on May 29. In a major blow to the Andhra Pradesh government, the court had termed the ordinance unconstitutional and ordered the reinstatement of Ramesh Kumar as SEC.

However, a defiant Jagan government filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court to stay the HC’s orders. In a setback, the Supreme Court refused to stay the HC orders and observed that the Andhra Pradesh government cannot play with constitutional functionary. Currently, the case is pending in the Supreme Court.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Jagan discussed 3-capitals issue with Governor

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Jagan discussed 3-capitals issue with Governor

A week after former CM and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu met Governor Bishwabhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a 30-minute interaction with Andhra Pradesh Governor on Monday to discuss in detail the various issues relating to the state.

Among the key issues, the Chief Minister apprised the Governor about the adjournment of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council sine dine without adopting the bills to decentralise the state’s capital and setting up three capitals for Andhra Pradesh. The proceedings were halted after members of the ruling YSRCP and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) virtually came to blows in the House over adoption of the two crucial bills. The Appropriation Bill that clears the way for the state’s annual Budget also got stalled.

The Governor, in his joint video address to the AP Legislative Assembly and Council last week, had said that the Andhra Pradesh government was firm on its decision to decentralise governance and equal development in the state as proposed earlier. With the crucial bills halted in the Assembly, Jagan is learnt to have discussed the way forward.

Further, Jagan also apprised the current situation in the state arising out of the pandemic. The situation in AP has been constantly worsening. In the last 24 hours, the state has reported a whopping 477 fresh cases, pushing the total number of cases to 8,929.

The Chief Minister is also learnt to have discussed the row over removal of State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar and appointment of retired HC judge Kangaraju. Although the state government had appointed retired HC judge Kangaraju, the High Court after hearing a batch of petitions had reinstated Ramesh Kumar as SEC. Ramesh Kumar’s reinstatement was challenged by the state government in the Supreme Court which had observed that the government cannot play with the constitutional functionaries. Currently, there is confusion over whether Kangaraju or Ramesh Kumar is the SEC.

Jagan’s meeting comes a week after Naidu’s deliberations with the Governor. Last week, Naidu met the Governor and submitted a 14-page letter highlighting the excesses of the Andhra Pradesh government in the one year rule of the YSRCP. In the letter, the TDP president charged that the YSRCP government was pursuing politics of vengeance, leading to gross violations of human rights where independent voices were being muzzled.

The former chief minister also pointed out that false cases were being filed to harass and persecute the Opposition TDP leaders. Terming the recent arrests of TDP leaders as politically motivated, Naidu complained to the Governor against the undemocratic and inhuman arrests of their party leaders Atchannaidu, Prabhakar Reddy and his son Asmith Red

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

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