The Centre has decided to impose President’s rule in Andhra Pradesh. It comes more than a week after Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy quit differing with his own party on the bifurcation of the State.

According to a Union Cabinet decision, the AP Legislative Assembly will be placed under suspended animation till June 2, when its term gets over. The State will be bifurcated into Telangana with 10 districts and residuary Andhra Pradesh with 13 districts.

This is the second time in 41 years that political issues surrounding bifurcation have led to the clamping of President’s rule in the State.

In 1973, following the Jai Andhra movement (separate State for Andhra region), the Indira Gandhi Government imposed President’s rule for 11 months. PV Narasimha Rao the then Chief Minister resigned.

The Congress-led UPA Government seemed to have exhausted all options of placing a Government with a new Chief Minister either from Seemandhra or Telangana.

In Hyderabad, the Telugu Desam Party accused the Congress of trying to utilise the Constitutional process for its political interests. The Party Politbureau member R Chandrasekhar Reddy wanted the Congress Government to explain reasons for the delay in imposing the President’s rule.

Lok Satta Party national President Jayaprakash Narayan said there was no alternative to President’s rule given the circumstances prevailing in Andhra Pradesh. The Central leadership, which has derailed the economy and is steeped in corruption has succeeded merely in destabilising the State. MV Mysura Reddy of the YSR Congress said the ruling party had taken the decision unable to provide an administration elected by people. By doing so the Centre had betrayed people, he said.

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