HYDERABAD: A day after reports emerged about Attorney-General’s suggestion to Governor ESL Narasimhan on implementation of Section 8 of AP Reorganisation Act, the TS government swung into action to oppose the move.
The TRS government is reportedly mulling an indefinate fast by the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao or a massive dharna in Delhi to oppose Section 8 and to turn into a nation-wide movement against curtailing powers of elected and popular government of a State. However, KCR shot down a move to call for a Hyderabad Bandh, saying it is unwarranted at the moment.
For this, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is trying to garner support from other state CMs terming the invoking of Section 8 as against the federal structure of the Constitution.
KCR, is reportedly in touch with the leaders of regional parties such as J Jayalalitha (AIADMK), Mayawati (BSP)and Mamata Banerjee (TMC) to seek their support against the move and to exert pressure on Centre not to take any step in this direction.
The day witnessed reactions from both TS and AP leaders who aired strong views on invoking and opposing Section 8.
“Mass movements are not new to TRS. The fighting spirit will continue,” a Telangana Minister said.
However, knowing pretty well that implementation of Section 8 was not so easy and the atmosphere in Hyderabad was not in favour of invoking Section 8, the TS government went about its business as usual.
Earlier in the day, KCR called on Governor ESL Narasimhan, who reportedly confirmed with that there was no word from the Centre to Raj Bhavan on invoking Section 8. The meeting between the two lasted for an hour.
Later, KCR held discussions with Chief Secretary and other top officials at Secretariat and stuck to his schedule before leaving for his farmhouse. It may be mentioned here that two Chief Secretaries of TS and AP held a meeting with Union Home Secretary Goyal recently. At the meeting, Goyal informed the AP CS that implementation of Section 8 required an Amendment to Constitution.