Hyderabad:
Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan today expressed hope that Chief Ministers of both Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh would discuss and "amicably" settle the issues concerning the two states after they formally come into being on June 2.
In an informal chat with journalists at the Raj Bhavan this evening, the Governor noted that both the Chief Ministers would have a "hard time" ahead but history has to be "quickly deleted" as far as governance was concerned.
"Both (Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh and K Chandrasekhar Rao of Telangana) have a vision and a mission. They sure will have a hard time ahead but so far as governance is concerned, the history has to be quickly deleted," said Mr Narasimhan, who will be the common Governor of the two states from June 2.
The Governor said that Mr Naidu, who will be becoming Chief Minister for third time, would now have to build a (new) state.
"Chandrababu will be building not a city but a state," Mr Narasimhan said in an oblique reference to the development of Hyderabad and Cyberabad during the former's previous stint as chief minister.
People (of Telangana) have high expectations from Chandrasekhar Rao which he would have to live up to, the Governor said.
When asked about the bad blood between Mr Naidu and KCR, the Governor said that it was one thing when sitting in a chair and another thing when not.
"I hope they will sit and discuss all (contentious) issues and find an amicable settlement," he added.
When asked about his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday, Mr Narasimhan said it was a 30-minute "extremely good and cordial" meet.
"There was eye contact all through. There was not a moment where we could look here or there. He (Modi) is a patient listener and astute questioner. He listens, understands and knows what to ask. It was an extremely useful meeting," the Governor said but did not specify the issues discussed.
On the complaint made by Mr Naidu about lower allocation of power to Andhra Pradesh, the Governor said it was done based on the consumption pattern.
"In Telangana, power consumption is more because of agricultural borewells. But major power plants are coming up in the two states and the issue could be sorted out," he said.
About TDP's complaint that all assets of the (united) state had gone to Telangana and liabilities to (new) Andhra Pradesh, Narasimhan quipped "the Governor is one and all of them (assets and liabilities) come to him."
"I feel happy that they have gone wrong," the Governor remarked, when his reaction was sought to criticism that he delivered "negative" reports to the then UPA government on Telangana statehood issue.
"It's not for me to feel happy or unhappy," he observed, when asked about the formation of the new state.
On attempts to create controversy over allocation of government staff to the two states, the Governor said it was only a "provisional allotment" that is being made now to keep the administration running.
"Once the governments are in place, the two Chief Ministers can constitute a committee to look into any disputes," he added.