Andhra Pradesh

Exclusive : A House for Mr Biswa

The former camp office of Chandrababu Naidu in the heart of Vijayawada will be home to the new Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Biswa Bhusan Harichandan. The Odisha politician who will replace ESL Narasimhan as Governor will have to make do with the facility as the Raj Bhavan is yet to be constructed in Amaravati.

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Even though Hyderabad was the designated common capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh till 2024, Naidu moved out of Hyderabad in a hurry in 2015 after the cash-for-votes scandal. He started working out of Vijayawada where a ground floor + one storey building was made ready as the chief minister’s office. Naidu operated from there till the Secretariat came up in Velagapudi in October 2016. 

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With news of the appointment coming in from Rashtrapathi Bhavan, the Andhra Pradesh police is set to carry out a security audit of the former CM’s office on Wednesday. It is likely to be a formality as the facility was cleared for Naidu who was guarded by NSG commandos and whose threat perception was far higher. 

Narasimhan who is also Telangana Governor, operated out of the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad. He traveled to Amaravati only for ceremonial functions, like a swearing-in ceremony, Republic day parade or to address the Andhra Pradesh assembly. On such occasions, he stayed at a five-star hotel in Vijayawada. 

Incidentally both the Irrigation department’s old office and Roads & Buildings department bungalow also were on the shortlist to house the Governor. The office used by Naidu was finally selected because it is fitted with all the facilities and gadgets only have to be plugged in. 

According to the Andhra Pradesh police, the Governor of the state is entitled to Z category security with green channel provided when he travels. The threat perception to Narasimhan by virtue of him having served as IB director when in service was however, higher. 

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