Hyderabad: With the centre appearing set to announce
its decision on the Telangana issue this month, Andhra Pradesh may
once again slip into political chaos as leaders from both the
Telangana and Seemandhra regions are threatening a showdown.
Alarmed over reports that the Congress-led United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) has decided to give into the demand for separate
Telangana state, leaders from Seemandhra (as the Rayalaseema and
Andhra regions are referred to), irrespective of their political
affiliations, are joining ranks to oppose division of the state.
Making it clear that any move to bifurcate the state would be
unacceptable to them, they have decided to take on the centre.
Their argument is that a state formed for Telugu-speaking people
can't be divided.
At the same time, the hectic activity in the Congress' central
leadership to find a solution to the Telangana problem has raised
hopes in the region that the people's aspirations for their own
state will finally be met.
Keeping their political affiliations aside, the leaders in
Telangana have also conveyed to the centre that their patience is
wearing out. "Despite the insults we had to face on numerous
occasions at the hands of people, we exercised restraint for the
last three years. Now the time has come to meet the long-pending
demand of the people," said senior cabinet minister K. Jana Reddy
while criticising the Seemandhra leaders for creating hurdles.
With the D-day of Jan 28 fast approaching, the suspense is
heightening in both the camps. Some Seemandhra leaders who visited
Delhi got hints that the Congress leadership has made up its mind
to carve out a Telangana state. It was only after this that the
Seemandhra leaders met in Hyderabad and declared that "nothing
short of a united Andhra Pradesh is acceptable to us".
Some leaders from the ruling Congress, opposition Telugu Desam
Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have even
threatened mass resignations in the event of the centre agreeing
to initiate the process for forming Telangana. "Will you divide a
state for votes and seats?" asked G. Srinivasa Rao, a minister
from the Andhra region.
He pointed out that 100 elected representatives, including state
legislators and MPs from Seemandhra, resigned in a single day
after the Dec 9, 2009, statement of the centre initiating the
process for forming Telangana.
The UPA government later put the process on hold, saying it need
to have more consultations. With all the major parties divided on
the issue along regional lines and a consensus evasive, it kept
delaying on a decision. As the pressure mounted from the Congress'
own leaders in Telangana, union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde
announced after a Dec 28, 2012, meeting that the decision on the
issue would be taken within a month.
A section of leaders from Seemandhra have even stated that they
are ready to lay down their lives to keep the state united like
those who sacrificed their lives to achieve the state for
Telugu-speaking people in 1956.
The Congress, which is yet to officially take a stand on the
issue, has apparently decided to carve out Telangana after its
leaders warned that the party would be wiped out from the region,
which comprises 10 districts, including state capital Hyderabad.
Political observers also point out that the opposition to
Telangana state is not as strong as it was a couple of years ago.
Several leaders from Seemandhra have stated that they will abide
by whatever decision the centre takes on the issue. They have even
ruled out submitting their resignations in the event of a decision
to bifurcate the state.
Political observers say it is important how the government deals
with the issue of Hyderabad. A majority of Seemandhra leaders may
not be averse to bifurcation if Hyderabad is made joint capital of
the two states for at least a decade. Such a move will placate
Seemandhra leaders and other stakeholders and address their
concerns over their business interests.
Pro-Telangana groups are not ready to accept a Telangana state
without Hyderabad and may also agree to share the city with
Seemandhra for a fixed period. Sources in the Congress said the
central leadership is trying to find common ground to come out
with a peaceful and lasting solution to the problem.
Even parties like the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which were opposing Andhra
Pradesh's division, want the centre to end the uncertainty
haunting the state for three years.
(Mohammad Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in)
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