Lok Sabha Elections 2014: President's Rule to Continue in AP, Kavuri to Join BJP on 1 May

President Pranab Mukherjee on 28 April declared continuance of President's rule in Andhra Pradesh following the Union Cabinet's recommendation for dissolution of the State's Assembly, which is in a suspended animation. With this, the prevailing President's rule in AP will continue for two more months, say media reports.  

The Assembly has been kept in a suspended animation status since 1 March, following Kiran Kumar Reddy's resignation on 19 February as the state Chief Minister, protesting the Centre's announcement to divide AP by carving out a new state, Telangana, which is to be realised on 2 June. 

The President's rule in AP was to end on 30 April. Keeping this in view, the State Governor ESL Narasimhan had appraised the President about the present situation in the state. As a result, Mukherjee has proclaimed that the President's rule will be continued in the state even after 30 April.

Under the Article 356, recommendation of President's rule in any state needs to be ratified by the Parliament within two months. This has also been ruled by the Supreme Court. Lok Sabha elections are being held in all states till next May, along with simultaneous Assembly polls in a few states. In such a situation, it is difficult to hold a Parliament session as most of the MPs are involved in electioneering. 

Keeping in view of this situation, the Union Cabinet on last Friday recommended dissolution of AP Assembly and proclamation of a fresh President's rule after Wednesday, 30 April.

AP is going to be divided into Telangana and Seemandhra on 2 June 2014 after the ongoing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, the Nizamabad court in AP has ordered police to file a case against actor-turned politician Pawan Kalyan for making derogatory comments against K Chandrasekhar Rao, chief of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) at a rally in Warangal recently.

In another development, senior Congress leader, sitting Eluru MP and former Union minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao has announced that he will join BJP in the presence of the party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at a rally in Bhimavaram on 1 May. Rao said that he could not continue in Congress, which has split the state without heeding to the concerns of Seemandhra people.   

(Ed:AJ)