HYDERABAD:The AP and Telangana governments are grinding their axes for a showdown in Hyderabad as it became more or less clear on Tuesday that the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is set to slap notices on AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the cash-for-vote case.
In fact, late in the night, the ACB served notices on TDP MLA S Venkata Veeraiah and TDP candidate in the MLC polls V Narender Reddy, summoning them for questioning. Veeraiah’s name figured in the call list of Telangana nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson’s phone, sources said.
The political temperature in the common capital climbed up a few notches in the morning itself amid speculation that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao cleared an “important decision”. ACB Director General AK Khan had two rounds of closed-door meetings with KCR, triggering rumours that the latter may have given the go ahead either to serve notices on Naidu or name him directly in the chargesheet or even, arrest a few in the case.
In a tit-for-tat response, the CID of the AP police is understood to be ready with notices for KCR for allegedly tapping the phones of Naidu and his cabinet colleagues. Sources told Express the AP government has “hard proof’’ to establish beyond a shadow of doubt that phones of TDP leaders were being tapped for a long time. AP government has appointed IPS officer Iqbal to head the CID probe. It is learnt that amid this high drama, a team from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs is likely to arrive in Hyderabad on Wednesday to possibly find a solution. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, however, was tight-lipped on Tuesday when asked about the unfolding crisis.
On Tuesday, though, the Raj Bhavan turned into a ‘situation room’ so to speak — several top government functionaries from both the States and even the Acting Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court, not to speak of political leaders of all hues made a beeline to meet Governor ESL Narasimhan.
KCR Warned of ReactionWith the Anti-Corruption Bureau expected to issue a notice to Chandrababu Naidu in the cash-for-vote scam at any moment, the AP government threatened to serve a similar notice to Chandrasekhar Rao for allegedly tapping phones of its key functionaries. Read more |
Chandrababu Naidu, on his part, was busy discussing strategies with his Cabinet colleagues and officials. Adding to the escalating tension, he brought a posse of AP police personnel to provide security at his residence, NTR Trust Bhavan, the TDP headquarters, and his ministers’ houses. The Telangana state police also beefed up security at the Secretariat, Forensic Science Laboratory, where the audio and video tapes pertaining to the cash-for-vote case are being tested, and and other important offices in the city.
The day began with intense speculation that the ACB was set to serve notices on Naidu - one to summon him for recording his voice for analysis by the FSL and the other for questioning him. The notices are likely to be served to him in his capacity as TDP president, not the Chief Minister of AP. After the ACB DG’s meeting with KCR, Telangana DGP Anurag Sharma and Hyderabad Commissioner of Police M Mahender Reddy too called on him. Later, the duo met the Governor.
Around the same time, Naidu went into a huddle with his ministers and police officials including DGP JV Ramudu and Intelligence chief AR Anuradha.
Several ministers had to cancel prior engagements to attend the meeting. As the day wore on, the speculation only intensified and by noon, the AP police, including anti-terror squad Octopus, took over security at the NTR Trust Bhavan and Naidu’s residence as also the AP Secretariat.
The Telangana DGP reportedly raised the issue of the presence of AP police personnel in Hyderabad with the Governor. In between, AP Congress leaders led by their chief N Raghuveera Reddy also called on the Governor.
Anxiety was writ large on TDP leaders and workers throughout the day and many gathered outside the party office in a show of solidarity with Naidu. Naidu’s son Lokesh gave them a pep talk and told them not to be ‘disheartened’ by the developments and even claimed AP government has evidence against KCR to nail him in the alleged phone tapping case.
In the evening, acting Chief Justice of the High Court Dileep B Bhosle met the Governor, further fuelling speculation of some ‘imminent action’ against Naidu. Soon after, AP DGP JV Ramudu also met the Governor to inform him of Naidu’s decision to deploy AP police for his protection in Hyderabad.
Tuesday Timeline
11 am: Hyderabad CP Mahender Reddy, ACB DG AK Khan meet KCR
12.30 pm: AP CM Naidu goes into huddle with ministers, officials
12.57 pm:. TS DGP Anurag Sharma, Mahender Reddy meet Governor
1.30 pm: Naidu meets his Finance Minister Yanamala
2 pm: Rumours rife that Naidu may get ACB notices in a couple of hours
2.10 pm: AP DGP JV Ramudu, IG intelligence Anuradha meet Naidu
3.30 pm: TS govt deploys additional security at TS Secretariat, FSL
4 pm: AP ministers warn KCR
5 pm: AP DGP JV Ramudu, CS IYR Krishna Rao meet Governor
6 pm: AP DGP, CS meet Naidu
6.50 pm: Acting CJ Dileep B Bhosle meets Governor
7.40 pm: AP CID takes over probe against KCR
8.30 pm: TDP MLA K Dayakar Reddy claims AP police will arrest five TS officers in a few hrs
9.40-11 pm: ACB issues notices to two TDP leaders
