Telangana government to protest against power to governor

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government is readying for a showdown with the Centre over the powers of the governor. This comes soon after locking horns with New Delhi over an ordinance merging several of its villages with Andhra Pradesh to facilitate the Polavaram irrigation project.

Last week, the Union home ministry proposed handing control of law and order in Hyderabad to the Governor. The city will be the common capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for 10 years. The Centre’s response was swift to concerns expressed by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu—his party the TDP is part of the governing coalition— about what he described a witch-hunt against businessmen with roots in his state who have settled in Hyderabad.

On Sunday, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao met members of parliament from his party the TRS and directed them to “strongly resist” the centre’s move in Parliament. Rao is of the view that the Centre’s attempt amounts to encroaching into the rights and privileges of the State government.

On the other hand, business groups are citing two recent decisions of the Telangana government, both reversals of stands by the previous government of undivided Andhra Pradesh, as examples of India’s newest state government’s vindictiveness.

In one case, Telangana asked L&T to change the alignment of Hyderabad metro rail project. In another, it announced an effort to retrieve land bought by the Lanco group in government-organised global competitive bidding.

A large section of businessmen with roots in Andhra Pradesh either have their business or personal assets spread in and around Hyderabad.

The city, whose law and order is controlled by the Telangana government, houses some of India’s largest infrastructure firms that have built nearly one-third of the country’s power, road, airport and irrigation projects. Many of them had directly or indirectly opposed the state bifurcation and they now fear being targeted by the government of new state.

"The AK Antony panel of the UPA government anticipated what was in store for the Andhra businessmen settled in Hyderabad,” said the chairman of a large infrastructure firm who did not want to be identified for fear of being targeted. The panel had recommended provisions to ensure that Telangana does not acquire the properties and businesses of entrepreneurs with roots in Andhra Pradesh, he said, but "unfortunately the state reorganisation law did not in corporate those protective measures. I hope the NDA government will intervene at least now."

Amara Raja Batteries vice chairman and managing director Jayadev Galla, who is also a TDP MP, alleged that Andhra Pradesh natives, especially businessmen settled in Hyderabad, are feeling insecure because of "hate statements and vindictive actions by Telangana lawmakers."