Andhra Pradesh CM, governor meet president in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Tuesday met President Pranab Mukherjee here.

In their separate meetings with the president at Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bolarum, they understood to have discussed with him latest developments in the wake of cash-for-vote scam, telephone tapping and implementation of section 8 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

Naidu spent nearly half-an-hour with Mukherjee, who is on 10-day southern sojourn here. Though officials described it a courtesy call, the meeting assumed significance in the wake of recent developments, which led to tension between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Naidu reportedly stressed the need for implementation of section 8 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, which has given special powers to the governor in Hyderabad, the joint capital of the two states.

Earlier, Narasimhan who is governor of both the states met the president. He is believed to have briefed him of the latest developments.

Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has been demanding law and order powers to the governor in the wake of alleged telephone tapping by the Telangana government.

Earlier this month, Naidu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand implementation of section 8 and also a probe in phone tapping.

The Andhra government made the demands following leak of an audio tape of Naidu's alleged telephonic conversation with Telangana's nominated legislator Elvis Stephenson.

TDP's deputy leader in Telangana assembly A. Revanth Reddy was arrested on May 31 while he was handing over a bribe of Rs.50 lakh to Stephenson to induce him to vote for TDP-BJP candidate in Telangana legislative council elections.