Hyderabad: Big Brother Chandrababu Naidu will be watching over the activities of his 19 ministers. To keep tabs on the day-to-day movements of the ministers and the extent of their involvement in official work, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister has recruited 20 TDP loyalists who will work as 'media liaison officers.'
According to sources, Naidu cleared the file relating to the appointment of the media liaison officers. They are to be outsourced to the information and public relations department (INPR), which in turn will dispatch them to the ministers by next week.
Most of the media officers are said to be employed with NTR Trust Bhavan, the TDP headquarters. Some are associated with TDP Knowledge Centre and few others with party's Information Centre. The officers were identified by Naidu's son Lokesh, assisted by his friend and OSD in the AP CMO Abhista, said the sources.
"The MLOs were involved only in party work. They have no previous experience of working in the government," pointed a senior official who is privy to the development. Since they have been outsourced to the I&PR department, the state will pay them a salary ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 28,000 per month along with other allowances.
Ministers who came to know of Naidu's move to appoint such media officers turned jittery as most of them have already appointed their public relation officers. "I do not know whether to sack my present PRO if the MLO steps into my office. If I have to, it would become embarrassing for me," lamented a minister.
The ministers have already experienced the CM having the final say in the appointment of their private secretaries and personal assistants. Finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu was forced to drop his private secretary after Lokesh raised objection. Recently, transport and roads and buildings minister Sidda Raghava Rao met the chief minister and sought permission to continue with his private secretary Kasinath. In response, Naidu reportedly asked the minister to make a written representation after which he will take a decision.
"Lokesh does not want the ministers to have a free run. Therefore, the appointment of the media liaison officers is to keep tabs on their activities," said sources close to the Naidu scion.
