Hyderabad: Governor E S L Narasimhan said that the provisional list allotting government employees to the two states would be released on Monday. Staff need not be disappointed by their provisional postings, the new states’ governments would take the final decision on allocating employees, he said. Speaking informally with the media on Saturday, Mr Narasimhan suggested the Chief Ministers and chief secretaries of the two states should discuss the issue of staff allocation and mutually agree to set up a committee to look into the matter.
He suggested that the two CMs discuss the problems facing both states and resolve them. He said both Mr Rao and Mr Naidu were once colleagues.
“They have a vision on development and both are hard-working,” he said. The Centre would step in to help both states when the need arises. Asked if he would shift his office to Seemandhra, from where Mr Naidu wanted to rule Seemandhra, the Governor said he would work out of Hyderabad.
He said President’s Rule would end in Telangana from the midnight of June 1, and in residuary Andhra Pradesh from the midnight of June 7. He would take oath as Governor of Telangana at 6.15 am on June 2, and swear-in TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao as Chief Minister at 8.15 am. To a question, Mr Narasimhan said an invitation had been extended to AP Chief Minister-designate N. Chandrababu Naidu to attend Mr Rao’s swearing-in.
On the Polavaram issue, the Governor appealed to Bhadrachalam legislator S. Rajayya to withdraw his indefinite hunger strike and said the Centre would take an amicable decision on the villages facing submergence. Mr Narasimhan said that he had a 30-minute “extremely cordial” meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the process of state bifurcation.
Asked if he faced any embarrassment, Mr Narasimhan admitted that he did face “a little embarrassment” during the one-on-one meeting. He said that as a police officer he had met Mr Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Asked about his feelings after working with three Chief Ministers earlier, and getting set to work with two more now, the Governor remarked: “Worked with five Chief Ministers. Media should give full marks.”
Asked about the Kishanbagh firing incident, in which three persons were killed, and remarks that it had occurred due to Governor’s rule, Mr Narasimhan said: “It is not correct that it occurred due to Governor’s rule. I faced the Telangana movement for four-and-a-half years, but not a single bullet was used. I had told the officials that bullets should not be fired under any circumstances.”
He added, “In fact, the media should give me full marks on the law and order issue. Asked if he was happier as a police officer or as Governor, he said he was happy with every posting. “I am still continuing as Governor because I am happy. If anyone feels unhappy, he must leave that job. Why should someone stay in a post when he is not happy?”
Asked whether he faced any inconvenience during his tenure as AP Governor, Mr Narasimhan said: “One section of the media reported that I am going to temple every day. Is it a crime? If that is a crime, I want to continue to do that crime.”
