CS could have come to Raj Bhavan before heading to SC: Governor Tamilisai

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government’s move on Thursday to approach the Supreme Court seeking its intervention over the matter of Bills pending clearance at the Governor’s office, received some swift reaction from Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan. The Governor, taking to Twitter on Friday, took aim at Chief Secretary A Shanti Kumari - who is listed as the petitioner representing the state of Telangana – indicating that all it would have possibly required was for Shanti Kumari to visit the Raj Bhavan and discuss the issue instead of heading to the courts.

The state says that the office of the Telangana Governor is holding back on approving seven Bills since September last, and three more Bills that were passed in the recent Budget session of the State Assembly.

Though there appeared to be a thaw of sorts between the state government and the Governor who have been at logger heads for nearly two years when the government deputed two of its ministers to visit the Raj Bhavan to discuss budget approval before this February’s budget session of the Assembly, and invite the Governor to address a joint session of the Legislature. Soon after, the budget was approved by the Raj Bhavan and the Governor did address the joint session.

With the Chief Secretary representing the state in its petition before the Supreme Court, Dr Tamilisai said friendly interactions would have been more helpful but added that the Chief Secretary appears to have no such intentions. The Governor tweeted saying “Dear @TelanganaCS Rajbhavan is nearer than Delhi. Assuming office as CS you didn’t find time to visit Raj Bhavan officially. No protocol! No courtesy even for courtesy call. Friendly official visits & interactions would have been more helpful which you don’t even intend.”

Following up this tweet with another, the Governor said: “Again I remind you Raj Bhavan is nearer than Delhi @TelanganaCS.”