The cold war between Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and Andhra Pradesh chief secretary L V Subrahmanyam has reached its peak with the latter skipping the official meeting of Naidu called to review the impact of super cyclone Fani.
It appears to be more of an ego clash between the two, rather than any official confrontation. Had the relation been smooth, Subrahmanyam attending Naidu’s review meeting should not have been an issue at all, say political observers.
It is only Naidu who has to be blamed for this ugly situation. When the Election Commission shifted senior IAS officer Anil Kumar Punetha from the post of chief secretary and replaced him with Subrahmanyam, the senior most IAS officer, Naidu made a hue and cry as if it was the biggest crime.
Even that is okay, considering Naidu’s grudge against the EC for shifting the intelligence chief and two SPs prior to that. But the way he made serious comments against Subrahmanyam led to the actual problem.
He described Subrahmanyam as a covert of the YSR Congress party and a co-accused in YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s case.
Naturally, it has angered Subrahmanyam. Unlike Naidu, the chief secretary did not utter any word against Naidu, except to tell the media that in the wake of model code of conduct being in force, the chief minister would not have the regular powers.
However, he has not been attending any meetings called by Naidu, for the simple reason that Naidu cannot hold meetings when the poll code is on.
It is not that Naidu does not know this. Yet, he wanted Subrahmanyam to report to him, because it satisfies his ego.
Though the chief secretary can meet the chief minister as a matter of courtesy as has been the case with all the other states, but Subrahmanyam also has his own ego.
He is of the view why he should go and meet Naidu who had called him Jagan’s covert and a co-accused in the case. So, citing the rule position, he is not caring the chief minister.
Now, Naidu is threatening to take action against Subrahmanyam under business rules. He said he would convene a cabinet meeting next week and would take action if any bureaucrat failed to attend.
But the question is who would prepare the agenda for the cabinet meeting and who would put up the note files?
It is the chief secretary and Subrahmanyam won’t do it as no official policy decisions could be taken due to election code.
So, Naidu has to convene the cabinet meeting without any official agenda. In such a case, the officials cannot attend such a meeting and Subrahmanyam will skip it again.
It remains to be seen what action Naidu would take and who would implement his directions.