Governor meets Sonia, discusses Dharmana

Governor ESL Narasimhan, who is in Delhi to attend a wedding, met UPA and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.

He is understood to have discussed with her the state cabinet’s recommendation requesting him to refuse permission to the CBI to prosecute roads and buildings minister Dharmana Prasada Rao. He is also learnt to have discussed the upcoming all-party meeting on Telangana to be held in Delhi on Dec 28.

Though the cabinet, which met on Nov 23, sent the file to the Raj Bhavan recommending denial of permission, the governor has not yet taken a decision. Though he is bound by the decision of the cabinet, he is taking his time to make up his mind. Dharmana’s issue might figure in discussions when Narasimhan calls on other central ministers who may include Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ravi and Sushil Kumar Shinde.

Taking a decision on the cabinet recommendation against allowing CBI to prosecute Dharmana has become difficult as, if the governor ratifies the decision, it will mean that the government is supporting a minister against whom the CBI has levelled charges. If he sends back the file to the Secretariat, it will, apart from denting the morale of the other ministers, lower the image of the Kiran Kumar Reddy’s dispensation.

Though Raj Bhavan sources denied that the governor was planning to seek any direction from Delhi, the issue is likely to figure in discussions with central leaders. He might go by their thinking.

Speaking to reporters in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, Dharmana said that after he had resigned, he did not consider himself a minister.