Under normal circumstances, a marriage is a happy occasion the revelry of which can turn even foes turn friends. But the wedding of minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s daughter on Dec 25 in Visakhapatnam, has put him and his ministerial colleagues from the neighbouring region in a dock. The reason being that Srinivasa Rao succeeded in gaining the image of a staunch integrationist and of course, a rebel Congress leader after having defied the Congress high command’s decision to bifurcate the state.
Highly placed sources said that ministers from Telangana are hesitating on what signals their presence at the wedding would send to their voters and also the Congress high command. A few ministers are also doubtful whether they have to face an embarrassing situation if integrationists obstruct their arrival in the city. Sources said that even the minister for investments and infrastructure is hoping that none of his guests are forced into an embarrassment on this happy occasion.
Just a couple of days ago, a minister from Hyderabad telephone Ganta Srinivasa Rao and inquired if it was safe enough for him to come to Visakhapatnam for which the latter assured full security during his stay in the city. Though the said minister is likely to attend the wedding, Srinivasa Rao’s aides are doubtful about a full attendance by all the invited ministers and MLAs. It is learnt that AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh was invited for the wedding as well, but sources said he is unlikely to attend.
“First, he is opposing the Telangana bill tooth and nail. Second, he went against the Congress Working Committee’s decision and also made statements against senior Congress leaders in public for bifurcating the state due to which he has been stamped as a rebel. Hence, not many ministers would want to be associated with him at this hour despite their otherwise cordial relations,” said a close aide of the minister.
When TNIE spoke to a minister from Telangana, he confirmed the same and said, “Ganta Srinivasa Rao is a good friend to many colleagues in the cabinet. But I haven’t yet decided if I should attend the wedding. Obviously, he has other career plans but I am answerable to my voters and the party high command.”
As a large number of VIPs are expected to arrive in the city, the police are as busy as the minister himself. Security arrangements are being made at the airport, apart from a couple of star hotels and guesthouses for the VIP guests.
The venue, the Andhra University Engineering College grounds is being spruced up as well. “When so many VIPs are arriving in the city, we are bound to take our precautions as per protocol. None of the guests need to worry as we are making elaborate security arrangements. However, we do not think there would be any protests,” police commissioner B Shivadhar Reddy told Express.