The Union government has decided to impose President's rule in Andhra Pradesh amid uncertain political situation in the state. A decision was taken in this regard by the Union Cabinet meeting, which met in Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi at 10.45 am on 28 February 2014 (Friday). It is after 41 years, President's rule has been imposed in the state. The first time was in 1973, when "Jai Andhra" movement picked up. 

So far, the Centre has imposed President's rule 122 times in different states of India. 

Since a week, the Union Congress government had been in dilemma whether to appoint a next Chief Minister or to impose President's rule in the state, in the wake of the resignation by Kiran Kumar Reddy, protesting against the division of AP into two-Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Reddy is now continuing as the Caretaker CM of the state and is estranged with the Congress party over splitting the united state. 

It was imminent for Congress to go for President's rule in AP, says a state senior minister from Seemandhra. As majority of its MLAs and even its ministers from the Seemandhra area were readying to quit the party to join other parties, once the Telangana is carved out from AP. Facing such developments, it has become difficult for Congress to form government in the state. Among the 21 ministers representing Seemandhra, only 11 of them have expressed their support before Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to form next government in the state. 

And there was a fierce competition for the next CM post, though it is just for a shortwhile, as the Election Commission is to announce its notification within 10 days for polls due in May. Within that time, the Centre had to either form the next government in the state or impose the President's rule.

In the prevailing situation, the party high command has found it is difficult to elect a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader to make him or her the CM. The party has also sensed group clashes at this juncture in Seemandhra, if it announces a new successor to Kiran Reddy from any particular caste like Kapu, a major section in the state. 

The All India Congtess Committee (AICC) leadership favoured President's rule in the state as it did not find sufficient numbers in the Assembly to form a popular government in the state. 

APCC chief Bosta Satyanarayana, party seniors like Kanna Lakshminarayana, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy were in the race to the CM's post.  

After knowing their party high command's mind, the Seemandhra leaders who were in queue for the CM's post, have begun to say that they were never in the race. Union Minister K Chiranjeevi, who was believed to be a serious contender to the CM's post said, "I have never tried for the CM's post. All such reports are media imagination," reported The New Indian Express