Govt paralysed

While CM functions from his camp office, Ministers and the Secretariat staff are involved in politicking

D Chandra Bhaskar Rao

Hyderabad: In the wake of a majority of his cabinet colleagues from the Seemandhra region quitting in protest against the party decision to bifurcate the State, and with the Secretariat turning the centre-stage of protests by the staff from Rayalaseema and coastal districts, a ‘miffed’ Chief Minister has been shying away from the seat of the government. Samata building that houses CM’s office the C block of the Secretariat wears a deserted look these days. Barring a few, most of the Ministers from both Telangana and Seemandhra regions are staying away from the Secretariat.

Kiran Kumar Reddy has been away from the Secretariat for almost a week since his return from Delhi when the CWC decided on the bifurcation issue. The officials of the CMO have no word as to when he will return to his office. They have been listing his daily official schedule as usual and keeping the departments concerned posted of his programmes from time to time.

CM’s dilemma

But the only difference in his functioning is that Kiran Reddy has been operating from his camp office. His team of Secretaries and Special Secretaries has also been making itself available to him at the camp office for a major part of the day. The question that is doing the rounds is whether he will resume his functions from the Secretariat at all? He may return to the Secretariat if he reconciles to the decision of the party high command; he would have to shoulder the task of presiding over the bifurcation process.

But being a signatory to the resolution adopted by the Seemandhra Ministers, as PCC Chief Botcha Satyanarayana has admitted, opposing the decision to accord statehood to Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital, he has conveyed his dissent to the party high command.

The Chief Minister, who had scotched reports that he has tendered his resignation, sounded a caution to his Seemandhra colleagues against resigning from their posts. But they did not pay any heed to him. Barring a few such as Minister for Transport Botcha Satyanarayana, the Seemandhra Ministers have distanced themselves from the secretariat. As many as 12 of them have handed over their resignation letters so far.

Galla Aruna and Pithani Satyanarayana are the latest addition to the list of Ministers who put in papers to protest against bifurcation. The CMO officials, however, clarified that the Chief Minister is discharging his responsibility from the camp office which, they said, is an office away from secretariat office, and not his residence. His residence is just behind the Camp Office.

The CM has also been taking part in all official programmes without fail, they mentioned. According to them, Kiran Reddy has been daily reviewing the flood and the law and order situation with Chief Secretary, DGP and other top officials. Also, there is no pendency of any key files. Even the matters pertaining to service matters are being discussed with the GAD officials concerned.

But the Chief Minister is said to be upset as some unions have lodged their protests with the Chief Secretary against promotions given to some IAS and IPS officers recently. The promotions that coincided with the Telangana decision annoyed a section of the officials. They reportedly urged the CS to keep all such decisions on hold till the official decision is announced on the T issue.

Barring a few T Ministers such as Jana Reddy, others from Telangana continue to abstain from the Secretariat, thus affecting the official business. The political crowd thronging the Secretariat is thinning down by the day.