On June 2nd, KCR or K Chandrasekhar Rao became the first chief minister of Telangana, India's youngest state. (File photo)
It's a new partnership but testy exchanges are pointing to early relationship trouble between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and the administration of KCR in Telangana over who will control law and order in the booming IT hub of Hyderabad. (
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On June 2nd, KCR or K Chandrasekhar Rao became the first chief minister of Telangana, India's youngest state. His daughter, parliamentarian K Kavitha told NDTV today that the Centre is encroaching upon her father's turf. "We are objecting as the Centre is trying to interfere in our affairs," the 36-year-old said after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh. (
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The provocation is the Centre's proposal to place law and order and other important administrative decisions for Hyderabad in the control of Governor ESL Narsimhan. KCR's team says this is unconstitutional because policing and law and order is the prerogative of the state. (
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The residuary state and Telangana share the same governor and, for the next 10 years, Hyderabad will be a joint capital.
Telangana leaders are also concerned about how resources are being divided between the new state and Andhra Pradesh, whose Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, belongs to the national coalition led by the BJP. Telangana leaders say they are concerned that the affiliation will lead to preferential treatment across the border. (
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They point out that the Centre's proposal on law and order being assigned to the governor comes just days after the Andhra Pradesh chief minister wrote to the Prime Minister asking for the protection of property in Hyderabad that is owned by people who belong to Seemandhra or the non-Telangana regions.