EC removes Andhra DGP for praising govt

HYDERABAD: Barely 10 days after DGPShyam Sunder Prasad Yadav praised the state government at a police meeting inKurnool, the Election Commission of India on Wednesday shunted him out from thetop post on charges of having violated the model code of conduct.The decision to remove Yadav was taken at a meeting of the fullcommission in New Delhi in the afternoon and the same was conveyed to chiefelectoral officer I V Subba Rao who announced it to the media here on Wednesdayevening. The EC has asked the state to submit a panel of three names from whichthey will name a successor to Yadav. K R Nandan, A K Mohanty and P Goutham Kumarare the seniormost officers after Yadav and the state, in all likelihood, shouldsend these names to the EC though it has been known to spring surprises in thepast. EC sources said the decision of Yadav to attend a homelandsecurity conference in Singapore without informing the EC also contributed tohis downfall. Yadav is currently in Singapore and is expected back in Hyderabadon Thursday. "Yadav has earned the dubious reputation of going to a conferenceas a DGP and returning as an ex-DGP," one senior police official told TOI.While there appears to be intense relief and joy in the policefraternity over the removal of Yadav, even his aides admit that it is the'foot-in-the-mouth' attitude displayed by Yadav that did him in. His taking overas DGP on November 1, 2007, itself was controversial as he superseded P V Naidu,an officer of the 1972 batch, to whom Yadav is junior by one batch.Many perceive that Yadav should thank only himself for his ouster."The petition submitted by the TDP with the Election Commission seeking theremoval of Yadav was very weak. Had not the DGP himself sang praises ofthe state government at a police meeting in Kurnool on March 7, the EC would nothave had a strong case against him. And his visit to Singapore without informingthe EC acted as the icing on the cake," said one official.Meanwhile, intense speculation has set in as to who would succeedYadav. In fact, all the three officers in the race to succeed Yadav had beensidelined by the DGP after he took over. Going by seniority, Nandan, who iscurrently chairman of AP State Police Housing Corporation, should have the bestchance. An officer of the 1975 batch, Nandan, son-in-law of former primeminister P V Narasimha Rao, has the reputation of being an honest and uprightofficer with a clean image. Asked about his chances, Nandan told TOI: "Let theElection Commission complete its procedure. I have always believed in takingthings as they come." Mohanty, currently chairman of AP Road SafetyAuthority, is also of the 1975 batch and was unceremoniously removed as head ofOctopus by Yadav. He also happens to be the only one of the three officers to beempanelled for a central deputation as additional director general of police.Goutham Kumar is the juniormost of the 1975 batch and is currently DGP of APSpecial Police. He too had crossed swords with Yadav by raking up the issue ofseniority of officers with the IPS association. CEO Subba Rao saidthe EC has asked the state to send the panel of names by Friday.