Union Home Ministry to stay out of harm’s way

NOTE-FOR-VOTE

Views the whole issue as ‘petty politicking’; plans to keep away from controversies

The Centre is ‘mindful’ of the political slugfest going on in this regard between the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments ‘but not with any intention to intervene or favour anyone,” sources said

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has been ‘updating’ itself on the ‘note-for-vote’ controversy involving the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders and a nominated MLA of the TRS. Meanwhile, it prefers to confine its role to advising the two Chief Ministers to concentrate on the developmental aspects, ‘ignoring petty-politicking’.

“It is essentially a tussle for political supremacy. Hence all this ‘tu-tu-mai- mai’,” sources maintain. According to sources, “It is keeping track of the investigations being held into the same and is also seeking updates from the government agencies and the Governor's office, simultaneously.”

The Centre is ‘mindful’ of the political slugfest going on in this regard between the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments ‘but not with any intention to intervene or favour anyone,” sources said.

There is also a feeling among the Home Ministry officials that the Governor's office could come under attack more and more in the ongoing 'war of words' between the two governments in the days to come.

It is also being hinted that the TDP leadership insisted on the removal of the Governor, ESL Narasimhan during its recent ‘Delhi campaign’ on what the party suspects and claims to be a ‘phone-tapping’ issue.

However, this argument did not cut much ice “as appointment of Governors is Centre's priority and no decision, even if it is made in near future, would be undertaken under undue and unwarranted pressure.” The BJP national leadership as well the Centre are on the same page so far in treating the whole issue as a corruption case.