Daijiworld Media Network

Jun 20: Former IAS officer IYR Krishna Rao has been ousted from chairmanship for sharing social media posts against Andhra Pradesh (AP) government. The decision of AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu to fire Rao as chairman of Andhra Pradesh Brahmin Welfare Corporation (APBWC) comes in the backdrop of Rao sharing inflammatory and anti-government posts on Facebook.

Appointed as the first chief secretary of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh, Rao retired in 2016 and was appointed as the chairman of APBWC. The body was enshrined with Rs 100 crore budget and was aimed to help poor Brahmins.

The fallout between Naidu and Rao took place after the chief minister received complaints from Telugu Desham Party (TDP) leaders about the ex-IAS officer growing bonhomie with YSR Congress party.

Suggesting irregularity in the functioning of the corporation, the TDP leaders also alleged that the welfare schemes accorded by the state did not receive the beneficiaries.

However what irked Naidu the most was the recent post by Rao questioning the government’s decision to grant entertainment tax exemption to Telugu film – Gautami Putra Satakarni which stars Naidu’s brother-in-law Nandamuri Balakrishna in the lead role.

Although it is learnt that Rao met the CM to clarify his stand on his social media post, the former was not satisfied by the reply and issued the sacking order.

Airing his views to the media, Rao said he found nothing wrong in expressing his views. “My posts have nothing to do with my functioning as the chairman of APBWC. Expressing my views is my fundamental right,” he added.

Earlier Rao had also questioned the AP government’s decision for allowing distributors of Baahubali-2 to screen more shows in theatres and increase the ticket price. He also criticized the Naidu government for arresting and filing cases against social media activist Inturi Ravi Kiran, who allegedly posted satirical cartoons against the CM and his son Nara Lokesh.

TDP sources state that Rao intentionally started maligning the government as he was denied a MLC seat. In the latest development, the party sources have tipped media that Vemuri Anand Surya maybe appointed as the new chairman of APBWC.