Hyderabad, May 21 (Inditop) A day after taking oath as Andhra Pradesh chief minister for the second consecutive term, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Thursday reinstated Shyam Sundar Prasad Yadav as the state police chief.

Yadav was removed as director general of police in March by the Election Commission for praising the chief minister, violating the election code of conduct. A.K. Mohanty was appointed the police chief in his place by the government on the recommendation of the poll panel.

With the Congress retaining power, Rajasekhara Reddy brought back Yadav as the police chief.

The indications to this effect were available even before the announcement of results May 16 as Yadav, who was not given any post, was seen at a meeting chaired by the chief minister in his native Kadapa district.

YSR, as the chief minister is popularly known, defended reinstating Yadav as the police chief while addressing a meet-the-press programme here Thursday.

“Immediately,” quipped the chief minister when asked when Yadav would be reinstated.

Acting on a complaint by the opposition parties, the Election Commission March 18 transferred the Bihar cadre police officer for praising the state government after the announcement of poll schedule.

Yadav, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Bihar cadre, was appointed the director general in 2007 while ignoring officers senior to him.

By rounak