AP Politics and runup to 2014 General elections

[member_27444]

I think Telengana issue is little more complex the INC never allowed a single CM of telengana region to really rule

gentlemen's agreement ,the six point formula etc were never implemented. The central rule by Sarin looted the state even Chenna Reddy CM became Chanda Reddy. his Boeing/ airbus crashed due to excess cash laden in the a/c at least that's the legend

The leaders of telengana cheated telengana and its going to happen again and the blame also goes to costal INC leaders who. Would relentlessly pull down the CM

It suited IG very much , she got elected from chickmagalur and Medak but stabbed both Anjaiah and Devraj Urs of Karnataka....

[devesh]

^^^
the kosta money combined with Seema's violent factionism means that leaders from those areas have always had more hold on power, simply b/c threat of death, and bribery with money always are the best tools in politics and power.

so if Telangana wants a CM to stay for 5 years and win again, they need to develop something similar. Money is out of question since the money accumulated in Kosta has a solid background of at least 150 years, combined with rich fertile land to sustain it.

so only other option is to become like Rayalaseema leaders. become factionists where killing off your opponents is the name of the game.

then we can all be happy. Telangana demand will die down too.

[Murugan]

Ishwar Singh Thakur - at Adilabad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BxHbvWUGms

[Murugan]

MIM History

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRP_IZ4HhRI

Why Akbarudding is afraid of Police

[kmkraoind]

One silver lining, the people of Andhra in their wisdom are blaming entirely INC Inc for this T. mess. Hope Chandrababu effectively penetrates the message that YSRC is nothing but an offspring of Congress, because its working president Vijayamma (Jagan's mother) has told they will support Rahul as PM. This time CBN has not said a single word on this whole saga, hope he has learned from previous lessons.

My best hope, Cong will be decimated just like in TN, where regional players took the mantle from Cong.

[Yagnasri]

KKR said that the entire mess started with YSR and that was on live TV . People now slowly seeing what is YSR Congress is, a B team of Congress and EJ/crime driven gang.

[Yagnasri]

CBN just now faxed a 3 page letter to PMO asking them to give clarity on Hyderabad fate, water, education, power etc. I think he may now be afraid that he will be blamed for the division and doing covering steps.

[ShyamSP]

CBN just now faxed a 3 page letter to PMO asking them to give clarity on Hyderabad fate, water, education, power etc. I think he may now be afraid that he will be blamed for the division and doing covering steps.

I'm not sure if this is anything new. Soon after division announcement he did ask them to provide clarity and provide 4-5 lakh crore for Capital development for new AP state. This is to put them in writing so INC/Center doesn't excuse itself and blame TDP for bad deal Seemandhra gets.

Basically, no one trusts INC and Center's vague words and promises other than some concrete steps. Seemandhra should ask "Give me the money/Capital/water/education/power" before proceeding on anything on division.

[ramana]

Even if it is on paper its INC word is not worth the paper its put on. Essentially a sold out group hanging on to power and using the state machinery to stay there.

[Dasari]

Even if it is on paper its INC word is not worth the paper its put on. Essentially a sold out group hanging on to power and using the state machinery to stay there.

That is the big concern. Even after more than 10 years, Uttarakhand got less than 1000 crores for their capital city. Considering the financial situation of the country, they won't give more than Rs 5000 crores, spanning over 5 years, for the new AP capital. The national status for controversial polavaram project is a joke and will be confined to promises for the next 20 years. With more than Rs 100,000 crore loan, poor infrastructure (hardly any airport), and no commercial magnet to attract investments, the new state will struggle.

This is a monumental blunder where a reasonably fourishing region with 5 crore population is being made destitute in one stroke by a thoughtless action. The tragedy is that this was done just before elections to win few seats. If God forbid that SA region fails to recover from this shock, both economically and politically in the net 15-20 years, it is hard to fathom what the long term relations would be between the truncated AP state and the Center.

[devesh]

can we please stop the melodrama? nobody is being made "destitute", least of all the Kosta. it would take a lot more than dividing AP to make that region "destitute". you don't know what it means to be "destitute" if you are carelessly throwing that word around like that.

[Muppalla]

In reality seemaandhra does not need anything. Even if you leave them with a word "screw you" it will develop on its own. All this discussion about new capital, funds for this and that is just a ploy to get more. There are far richer states in India without huge airport. They are building a petro-corridor between Vizag and Kakinada and you cry saying SA will become a destitute.

With so many rich people in that land and lot better infrastructure it becomes destitute then the land and people deserve it. So be it. Lobbying for getting more is fine but it should not reach a begging style.

Seemaandhra people invested in Bangalore, Chennai too. What difference is there for their investment in Hyderabad? All this separation of state makes loss of investment is bs. KCR and his minnows are not going to be there for ever. Once this rhetoric on both sides die down it will be same story.

This entire division is just to grab political power for the region that is not able to get due to money power of kosta and muscle power of seema. Economy, jobs and movement will not have any change. All these factors are used to keep the power structure and nothing else. We should not fall for the powers.

Let us see if this gets to final with so many twists going on:)

[Yagnasri]

futher T will be ripe for Naxal and Jihadi forces and rest for EJ forces. Pity that BJP is not in a position to doanything. May be VHP and others have to be re-enforced in AP in a very serious way.

[johneeG]

futher T will be ripe for Naxal and Jihadi forces and rest for EJ forces. Pity that BJP is not in a position to doanything. May be VHP and others have to be re-enforced in AP in a very serious way.

IMHO, kongis are bluffing. There will be no separate T. Its just a decoy to divert telugu people's attention from the misrule of past 10 yrs. It is also an attempt to stop the rise of TDP and BJP(in T region, specially with upcoming tour of Modi). Kongis basically pre-empted BJP in T.

I think kongis know that they are not coming back to power in center. So, they are trying for a third-front or federal front or whatever else. They absolutely don't want BJP to gain any seats, specially in new regions.

BJP was banking on the T-card based on its national party status. But, kongis thwarted it cleverly. Basically, earlier, KCR used to make these pronuncements every 3 months. Then, T-kongis started making these statements. Now, Doggy is making statements. But, the game is same.

No T nothing. Just keep boiling and stirring to keep opposition at bay. TDP has been caught on wrong foot. What will TDP do now? If TDP continues with pro-separate stand, will it not lose seats to Yrus party? At the same time, no one in T seriously believes that TDP is pro-separate state. So, it is in the same boat as BJP. Both are pro-separate state, yet both are not going to get any credit for that stand. And they will have loses(in BJP's case loss of potential gains) in coastal and seema regions.

Basically, kongis have side-kicks. So, they have greater maneuverability. TDP and BJP don't have partners, so don't have maneuverability. If TDP and BJP had been partners, then they could have taken different stands to cater to different vote blocks. If TDP had gone pro-separate state, BJP could have gone with united-stand or vice versa.

If TDP doesn't want to have an alliance(covert or overt), then lotus should have the brains to go with united stand as a contrast to the stand of kongis.

Remember, BJP's stand on small states is very opportunistic. They want to break those states where they have no chance of coming to power. Will BJP support separate Saurashtra?

So, changing the stand cannot be opportunistic, because the original stand itself was opportunistic. Modi can make a simple deal with people of coastal and seema regions(or all united state vote bank). Vote to us and we will vote against any separate state bill in parliament.

[Kakkaji]

What SA needs is a CM like NaMO. They will then develop into the richest and most developed state in the South within 10 years. SA resources are a lot more than what Gujarat had when it separated from Maharashtra. All they need is good leadership. Maybe ramanaji or Amyraoji will take up the challenge?

As for new capital, I agree (for once) with vina saheb's suggestion. Build a city of a few blocks just for politicians and bureaucracy like Gandhinagar. No mass migration or real estate speculation will be needed then.

[Kakkaji]

Remember, BJP's stand on small states is very opportunistic. They want to break those states where they have no chance of coming to power. Will BJP support separate Saurashtra?

No fair saar.

I think if there was a BJP Govt at the center, and the Gujarat assembly passed a resolution for a separate Saurashtra, the BJP will grant it.

[Yagnasri]

Now CBN wants friendship and alliance with BJP in Telangana areas and Ramdass wants Tipupathi, Srikalahasthi ( he called it Thirukalahasthi) Chittor and other areas to be given to Tamilnadu and threaten agitation for it. May be Jayalalitha also joins the game and Chiddu may be ready make an announcement soon,

[ShyamSP]

Now CBN wants friendship and alliance with BJP in Telangana areas and Ramdass wants Tipupathi, Srikalahasthi ( he called it Thirukalahasthi) Chittor and other areas to be given to Tamilnadu and threaten agitation for it. May be Jayalalitha also joins the game and Chiddu may be ready make an announcement soon,

Well AP can claim till Chennai-Kanchi-Vellore-Krishnagiri, South of that line is where real Arava Nadu starts.

All those areas that Ramdass claim are populated by Telugus with a few Arava people here are there.

[Yagnasri]

But agitations in TN can not be ruled out. Ramdass is a fringe castiests politico and needs this kind of agitations. Since Delhi proved its weakness in respect of T all kinds of demands are coming up.

[ramana]

Kakkaji, My speak goes to all types and all places.

[member_27444]

agree with jhonneG is correct congress is bluffing and KCR really does not want T, he would rather be CM of United Andhra.
Remember Chenna Reddy saga, same the congress evry so often dusts its recipe book of JLN and IG and play (chess) game.

said

I think if there was a BJP Govt at the center, and the Gujarat assembly passed a resolution for a separate Saurashtra, the BJP will grant it.

why not the same BJP do it in AP? sir
pass a resolution and then trifurcate

[Kakkaji]

why not the same BJP do it in AP? sir
pass a resolution and then trifurcate

BJP is not in power at the center Saar. When they were in power they did not push for division of AP. CBN was an ally at that time and BJP followed the coalition dharma.

Congress, on the other hand, destabilizes not only its allies, but even its own CMs as they have done to KKR in this case.

Frankly, all the SA folks blaming the BJP for division of AP reminds me of the following story:

A rich and powerful man's son once came home from crying from school. When asked, he told his father that the teacher had slapped him. The father angrily confronted the teacher the next day in school. The teacher said your son was disrupting the class so I slapped him. The rich and powerful man told the teacher don't you dare touch my son if you know what is good for you. If my son disrupts the class again, you just slap the boy sitting next to him (who was the son of a poor father) and my son would quiet down.

So, with all due respect, blaming the BJP for causing AP division is like slapping the poor child for the antics of the 'badmash' rich boy sitting next to him (Congress).

[Kakkaji]

Kakkaji, My speak goes to all types and all places.

ramanji:

Sorry for my poor joke but is there a leader on the horizon who can be a NaMo-like CM of SA?

I think if CBN has learnt the lesson from his past defeats he can be that leader. What do you think?

[Bade]

agree with jhonneG is correct congress is bluffing and KCR really does not want T, he would rather be CM of United Andhra.

This would be the best outcome IMO, keeps all sides happy. No need for bifurcation. Address all the perceived discrimination that Telengana people might have, some real and be done with it. TRS can merge with Congress and if they win make KCR the CM. Will current CM (SA and R folks) agree to that ?

[Muppalla]

Now CBN wants friendship and alliance with BJP in Telangana areas and Ramdass wants Tipupathi, Srikalahasthi ( he called it Thirukalahasthi) Chittor and other areas to be given to Tamilnadu and threaten agitation for it. May be Jayalalitha also joins the game and Chiddu may be ready make an announcement soon,

Well AP can claim till Chennai-Kanchi-Vellore-Krishnagiri, South of that line is where real Arava Nadu starts.

All those areas that Ramdass claim are populated by Telugus with a few Arava people here are there.

I have an idea about this TN asking for Tirupathi and Kalahasti. As these are the days of dealing and wheeling, SA can sell these two cities to TN for 4lakh crore to build a capital in Ongole/Kurnool on the lines of Hyderabad. At the end of the day, T separation is all about Hyderabad and wealth and nothing else per all the politicians anyway.

[hanumadu]

I don't think any amount of money can equal those. Even if looked at a purely monetary POV, TTD coffers are nothing to scoff at. But I know what you are getting at.

[hanumadu]

agree with jhonneG is correct congress is bluffing and KCR really does not want T, he would rather be CM of United Andhra.

This would be the best outcome IMO, keeps all sides happy. No need for bifurcation. Address all the perceived discrimination that Telengana people might have, some real and be done with it. TRS can merge with Congress and if they win make KCR the CM. Will current CM (SA and R folks) agree to that ?

Bade, doesn't work that way. SA MLAs out number T MLAs. Can easily throw a spanner in the works.

[ramana]

Kakaji, The successful Indian model is Chanakya-Chandragupta. It has been replicated many times. Current leaders forget at their own peril.

A Telugu NaMo is yet to emerge.
To understand that please understand NaMo.
He comes from utter poverty.
He is self made person.
Rises up the hierarchy.
Does not let power tempt him to loot.
He has faith in himself and in India and Bharat while every one doubts him.
He is above all a nationalist.

He is a Chandragupta type figure.

We don't know his Chanakya.

[Dasari]

In reality seemaandhra does not need anything. Even if you leave them with a word "screw you" it will develop on its own. All this discussion about new capital, funds for this and that is just a ploy to get more. There are far richer states in India without huge airport. They are building a petro-corridor between Vizag and Kakinada and you cry saying SA will become a destitute.

With so many rich people in that land and lot better infrastructure it becomes destitute then the land and people deserve it. So be it. Lobbying for getting more is fine but it should not reach a begging style.

Seemaandhra people invested in Bangalore, Chennai too. What difference is there for their investment in Hyderabad? All this separation of state makes loss of investment is bs. KCR and his minnows are not going to be there for ever. Once this rhetoric on both sides die down it will be same story.

This entire division is just to grab political power for the region that is not able to get due to money power of kosta and muscle power of seema. Economy, jobs and movement will not have any change. All these factors are used to keep the power structure and nothing else. We should not fall for the powers.

Let us see if this gets to final with so many twists going on:)

I may be crying about the crippled state of AP, but i don't know what you are so excited about. When we talk about the loss of commerical center and revenue generator in the form of Hydearbad, you are harping how safe people and their investment would be in Hydearbad. Thank you for your endorsement. We know there are constitutional guarentees for the so called settlers in Hydearbad although they have to bear some psychological nuisance created by TRS goons. Also, those industrialists and capitalists will find a way to survive in Hyderabad. But does it benefit people of SA?

It is preposterous for anybody to call the concern in SA is melodrama, regardless of how the politicians are exploiting this. First, there are no constututional guarantees for any packages, or promises. That is where the problem starts. So SA is on its own and they better believe it.

The percapita budget spent in united AP is around Rs 20,000, and in truncated AP, even with some limited revenue sharing from the old capital, it would punge to around Rs 12,000 in the first 5 years of the new state, that is roughly where the other poor and destitute states of the country are. Othweriwse it would create a deficit that cannot be financed by the state. On top of this they have to service the debt which would be more than Rs 90,000 crore, and build a new capital with huge capital outlay. What do you call it? Prosperity. On top of this, the shock of separation already made the entire state divided on everything, starting from capital city to water sharing. There is a huge leadership vaccum to turn this around. I believe it will take 10 to 15 years, before the state turns around, provided it surivives the after shocks of this blunder. That is the crux of the issue.

[Manish_Sharma]

Ramana ji Chanakya has to be only be an individual or can be an organisation like RSS?

[ramana]

A ramble:
A hazard is a potentially damaging physical event or underlying condition.
A vulnerability is a susceptibility to suffer a loss due to the impact of hazards
A disaster is when a hazard triggers a vulnerability and disruption in the functioning of a community that is so serious such that it causes widespread human, material, economic losses, which exceed the ability of the affected community to cope with using its own resources.

So a disaster results from the combination of hazards, conditions of vulnerability, and
insufficient capacity or measures to reduce the potential negative consequences of
risk.


The inherent hazard since 1947 was the tendency for tribalism or a gathering of people based on some identity.
The vulnerability of the party in power for it is essentially a coalition of the few based on Westminster system of first past the gate and not true possession of ideas and ideology.

Since 1953 there have been repeated fracturing of the internal political entities which have been good sometimes and bad often.

2014 elections promises to reduce the vulnerability as the electors gather round a shared idea.

----------

Dasari, Have I captured your feelings?

Disaster = f(Hazards, Vulnerabilities)

[Kakkaji]

Ramana ji Chanakya has to be only be an individual or can be an organisation like RSS?

True

NaMo has been moulded by the RSS and by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

Acharya Chanakya and Swami Vivekananda are not with us in bodily form anymore, but they have left their teachings in recorded form, for us to follow, and I hope NaMo has done that in his life and in his politics.

It is just like Shri Guru Gobind Singhji said the there will not be any more Gurus in human form, but all Sikhs were to consider Guru Granth Sahib (which contains the teachings of the Gurus) as their Guru from then on.

[Muppalla]

The percapita budget spent in united AP is around Rs 20,000, and in truncated AP, even with some limited revenue sharing from the old capital, it would punge to around Rs 12,000 in the first 5 years of the new state, that is roughly where the other poor and destitute states of the country are. Othweriwse it would create a deficit that cannot be financed by the state. On top of this they have to service the debt which would be more than Rs 90,000 crore, and build a new capital with huge capital outlay. What do you call it? Prosperity. On top of this, the shock of separation already made the entire state divided on everything, starting from capital city to water sharing. There is a huge leadership vaccum to turn this around. I believe it will take 10 to 15 years, before the state turns around, provided it surivives the after shocks of this blunder. That is the crux of the issue.

Everything will be split is a ratio that will be part of a settlement. It is just fear mongering going on these days someone will be ill treated. If the other side is such a foolish one and lose out in negotiations then they deserve it. That is what I am saying which you are calling as excitement.

I do not think it will be as bad as it seems to be and once all things are written on paper, when debt and revenue sharing gets completed, it will not be as bad as doomsday stuff. The new state's percapita will be starting at a lower level but if takes 5 yrs or 10 yrs that will be sweetest years for that region. They will have to come out in their best interest even if the state is united. This concentration of all wealth manufacturing activity at one place is not good.

The only real contention is revenue sharing arising out of hyd because substantial revenue is generated in HYD. It is for this reason a common capital for 10 years which is a very long period to get settled.

There ends the stupid money sharing talk. Rest is either lobbying tactics to keep the state united or pure begging.

Regarding water it is really hilarious, when is that Telangana is going to get its first water project funded by center to stop water. Not a single water resource project in India went through without a fight and concurrence by all the lower states. Again another fear mongering tactic.

Entire SA leadership made the whole state division as some commercial stuff and profit and loss statement. The people are falling for it. They sold out the souls ( maa behen beti) and making everyone do the same. For 10 yrs the leaders of SA are telling that center will not split the state. They gave a firm statement to split in 2009 and then they said we are the movers and shakers and using our clout we are stopping it. Now they are doing a huge profit and loss statements left and right and still propagating the same junk as though they are some movers and shakers. Entire SA is a sheep type community just going after how to make next move to make another crore. How to do jointly vs independently. Is it good to take distribution of movies or is it better to but lands etc. "I did not get good score in GATE, let me try via GRE". Pure bania giri and nothing else? Where is so called paurusham? Where is modern day alluri seeta rama raju?

Money making doesn't buy all things. It is not end of all means and all parts of life. SA is never ready to strategise but just whine. They deserve anything that is happening at this time. They are worst scum in the middle India at this time who are the only community that is lining up to a leader who is in jail due to large scale scandals. They still think there is some hero over there that they can rally around. They haven't realized that their heros (both on screen and off screen) who took them for a ride.

I am from that region too but not there for a long time. It does not mean I lost roots. I hope you understand what I am saying. They have all the riches to become the most richest state of India and that too very fast. Let them take this opportunity and make it this time around. If they look like Chattisgarh in the first 6 to 7 years so be it but let them unleash to become a new Gujarat/Punjab in the next 10 years.

Lot more going on in coast. They are constructing a petro corridor between Kakinada and Vizag. Imagine a bunch of private ports. It will be a capitalists heaven if properly channelized. It does not take even 10 year in this new type of economy. Leadership has to emerge.

[svenkat]

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/greater-conspiracy-seen-behind-bifurcation/article5011232.ece

The bifurcation of the State could be averted by rocking the UPA government in the Centre and Congress government in the State and creating a situation wherein no environment exists for introduction of Telengana Bill, leader of Visalandhra Mahasabha Parakala Prabhakar has said.


Addressing a meeting of intellectuals here on Saturday, he alleged a greater conspiracy behind division of the State saying only the leaders inimical to the growth of Andhra Pradesh engineered the spilt. All the leaders on the core committee of Sonia Gandhi hailed from States other than Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Prabhakar said the movement had gone out of the clutches of the political parties and the tempo should be sustained to teach New Delhi a bitter lesson.

He called upon people to dictate terms to their respective leaders to resign and stall passing of the bill in parliament.

[Murugan]

Tv9 telugu live telecast

[svenkat]

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp ... 011851.ece

The strike notice given by the two recognised unions in the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) – the APSRTC Employees Union and National Mazdoor Union, in the Seemandhra region, informing the management about their intention to go off work from Monday midnight (August 12) has triggered adverse reactions from the management.

Citing clauses of Industrial Dispute Act 1947, which made it mandatory for parties seeking to stage a protest to issue a strike notice at least 14 days in advance, Mr. Nagaraju said the proposed strike in this regard would be deemed as unlawful and the employees participating in it would attract disciplinary action against them.

Seeking to remind that as per Government orders, RTC comes in purview of the Emergency Services Act, he said the employees who would participate in the strike would attract disciplinary action

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/rail-roko-railway-police-step-up-vigil/article5011845.ece

Aerial patrolling planned to prevent untoward incidents
Additional Director-General of Police (Railways) Bhupathi Babu is monitoring the samaikyandhra agitation from the security point of view in the South Central Railway (SCR), Vijayawada and Guntur Divisions, and Waltair Division of East Coast Railway, to prevent any damage to Railway properties or disruption in train services.

In the wake of the proposed ‘rail roko’ on August 11 (Sunday) as per the call given by supporters of samaikyandhra movement, the Additional DG, who camped at Vijayawada, reviewed the security personnel deployment on Saturday in sensitive areas and at important railway stations from Itchapuram in Srikakulam district to Tada in Nellore district. Three officers of Superintendent of Police rank will monitor the situation on Sunday. Security forces of the CRPF, RPF, Government Railway Police GRP, and civil police were deployed at stations.

Police are also planning to keep a vigil on tracks through aerial patrolling to prevent any untoward incidents.

Section144

Section 144 has been imposed at all the stations. Instructions have been issued to the police to deal sternly with trespassers. “Video cameras have been arranged to identify the agitators who resort to arson or try to disrupt train services,” said RPF Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Ramesh Chandra.

Police will invoke provisions of the Indian Railways Act against protestors, besides invoking IPC sections, said Vijayawada Division GR Superintendent of Police Ch. Syam Prasad Rao.

[Dasari]

The inherent hazard since 1947 was the tendency for tribalism or a gathering of people based on some identity.
The vulnerability of the party in power for it is essentially a coalition of the few based on Westminster system of first past the gate and not true possession of ideas and ideology.
...

Dasari, Have I captured your feelings? ...
...

ramana garu,
Thanks for the perspective. For the first 50 years, except for a brief period , a single party won the elections, often with a huge mandate and had the ability to set and maintain the political tone. Instead it seeded every corrupt idea, all in the name of protecting one family. What they had seeded was nurtured and perfected by others, and essentially created the system above. Question for you.

The general notion is that division is good for Telangana for the next 10-15 years, and it can be downhill from there, while it is reverse for SA where it is utter chaos for the next 10-15 years but it may settle and prosper after this period. However, there is a good chance the politicians can make it worse for both regions.

The big dilemma on SA side is what should they fight for - Fight for united state (although it looks hollow when entire T is asking for separation) or since it is politically inevitable just fight for appropriate compensation from an unusual division where the region that is not asking for new state is getting one. Some integrationists believe that since second request is so expensive, it automatically supports the first, although such union is meaningless.

[ramana]

x-post.....

Yes we can
Yes we do
Jai Telanga
Jai Seemandhra
Bharat Mata ki Jai
Vande Matram

I said sometime ago:

http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 3#p1488223

Whether UPA or NDA comes to power Andhra Pradesh will get divided. Only how much is the question?

Will a future T leadership accept a T state without further split of Rayalseema now that INC has whetted their expectations? They were asking for only T region and are getting two more for free from INC!!!

How will Raylaseema folks take the gratuitous division?
How will the T folks think of Hyderabad as Union Territory for INC to loot?
Is that what they wanted?
Will NDA announce only T region as the new state?

Will Tirupati get divided from Chitoor?
Lots of questions for AP folks.

So it plays out...

[Yagnasri]

Parakala Probhakar is husbend of Nirmala SitaRaman Right? She was done dayas of BJP meeting while her husbend is agitating for united AP. Interesting thing.

[svenkat]

A dated report from chindu.
The Rise of Telangana

In fact, the TDP rule, first under NTR and later under Naidu, as exhaustively documented by the Justice B. N. Srikrishna-headed Committee “to examine the situation in Andhra Pradesh with reference to the demand for a separate State of Telangana, as well as maintaining the present status of a united Andhra Pradesh” and to recommend a plan of action and road-map on how to move forward on this vexed and highly complex issue, had substantially transformed the “landscape of Hyderabad”. Later, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy sought to build on it.
Not only is the present ‘Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), covering a total area of 7,073 sq km and with a population of over 7 million, almost twice the size of Goa and even bigger than the National Capital Territory of Delhi, it also hosts several ‘strategic’ government establishments.

The hope then was that ‘Telangana’ would benefit by ‘Vishalandhra’ s development’. The merger was effected under what was termed a ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement’ that provided specific safeguards for the Telangana area including a Regional Council, which will protect its economic, cultural and political space that stemmed from the long legacy of Nizam rule in Hyderabad where Urdu was the official language. Coastal Andhra, on the contrary, under British rule in the Madras Presidency, had an edge with its English education.

However, as a new political structure was created in Andhra Pradesh, it was soon strained by internal regional Congress politics. In due course, nothing of the Gentlemen’s Agreement was kept, “a major sore point for the Telangana people,” which eventually led to their first major agitation in 1969. Even specific rules that required certain categories of employment in the Telangana area to be filled up only by residents of Telangana were not implemented.

However, to maintain status quo – the SriKrishna panel’s ‘least favoured’ option – will only deepen the political crisis on both sides of the divide and could make the Telangana agitation even more emotional with the Maoist-extremist elements already joining hands with the TRS, it warned, adding, “some intervention is definitely required”.

Nonetheless, in this phase of the agitation, “nearly 1,000 boys and girls have committed suicide,” Kothandaram said, adding, “after such long years of bitter struggle and humiliation, the people of Telangana feel separation and nothing else”. Refuting critics that Maoists activities will escalate if Telangana was given, as it would then become a haven for extremists from its border with Chhattisgarh, he said the Telangana Movement and the Maoists have “different social bases.” In fact, land reforms in Telangana may partly address the Maoists problems, he contended, adding, “this uncertainty is very bad”.

Things are not that simple, avers the CPI(M)’s State Secretary, B.V. Raghavalu, pointing out that dividing a State does not necessarily address the issues of under-development and socio-economic backwardness. In fact, “some of the most backward districts in Andhra Pradesh are the North coastal areas and Rayalaseema,” he said. “The division will harm federalism, secularism and dilution of democratic institutions,” he warned. The Marxist’s parent party, CPI, though, is for a separate Telangana for historical reasons, as all earlier agreements to empower that region have “failed”.

For instance, knowledgeable sources here are equally appalled by the Centre’s oversight when TRS Chief Chandrasekhar Rao went on an indefinite fast in 2009. “The TRS boss was only demanding deletion of clause 14-F of the Recruitment Rules to the Police Department to make Hyderabad a free zone, but the Centre bang announced Telangana formation,” said a veteran journalist here who did not wish to be named. The Chief Minister, Kiran Kumar Reddy made this point to the Congress Core Committee recently, he said. The PCC Chief, Botcha Sathyanarayana also told the party high command that in the event of a decision to concede Telangana State, “Hyderabad must be the common capital for at least 25 years like Hong Kong and Macau”, to ensure the safety of people from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema who have settled in Hyderabad for generations now. “There are serious water-sharing issues too that, if ignored by the Centre, could spell the death-knell of farming in the Godavari and Krishna delta areas, India’s rice bowl,” the journalist added.

All these show how exceedingly complex the problems are in granting statehood to Telangana, though historically its position is uniquely different.

Civil society’s angst

“Whether they agree to Telangana or not, please reach a conclusion soon; why are you taking the lives and livelihood of us poor,” asked Shankar, an auto-rickshaw driver, as he negotiated past numerous potholes on the road and the relentless traffic snarls. He was referring to the numerous ‘bandhs’ and violence that besiege Hyderabad ever so frequently, putting off visitors to this city in recent times.

Upon some more prodding, Shankar, who hails from a family of landless agricultural labour in Shamshabad, where the impressive, new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has come up, slowly opens up: “If Telangana happens, at least our children will get jobs. That is my understanding. Right now, all the jobs are cornered by the people of Andhra region.” Srinivas, another auto-rickshaw driver who lives in the eastern suburb of Uppal, echoes the same feeling.

These two stories are but small slices of a much larger picture, but they point to a common thread that runs through the pro-Telangana sentiment – employment and other basic necessities of life like water. However, Telangana “is not only about jobs,” says Srikanth Rao, a research scholar hailing from Medak district, at the 95-year-old Osmania University, now the hotbed of the Movement. How did this feeling of sub-regionalism take roots in the campus?

“Most of us are from rural areas and have seen the disparity from up close,” says Rudra Reddy, a teaching faculty in Nizam College and a research scholar at the University. “While drawing up schemes, like the ones for irrigation and water supply, Telangana region has always been given step-brotherly treatment,’’ he emphasised. The benefits of granting Telangana statehood “will not percolate down immediately, but in the long run, we hope that things would be better,” he added.

Sure, skewed income distribution is the underlying premise here. But “the greater National debate should be on the defining principle of reorganisation of States,” counters social scientist and an Integrationist, Dr. Parakala Prabhakar. “Should we have a relook at the linguistic principle and find an effective alternative,” he asked. If the UPA conceded the separate Telangana State demand, other statehood movements like Gorkhaland, Bodoland, Vidarbha and Bundlkhand would gain credence, Dr. Prabhakar warned, adding, “Telangana today is a political game.” In fact, he attributed the fringe parties riding high on people’s sentiments on this issue “to turn it into a movement”, to the Congress party’s ambiguity over Telangana in the past decade.

Going a step further is N. Jayaprakash Narayan, President of the Lok Satta Party, who says that the demand for Telangana throws up several dilemmas before the running dispensation in New Delhi. They, in fact, are an offshoot of the ground realities, as was reflected in a survey by ‘Lokniti-CSDS’, a Delhi based Social Science research institution, in Andhra Pradesh in 2011. The survey revealed that support for Telangana is up to 50% within that region, while a huge 90% of people in the rest of Andhra Pradesh want the State to remain united. Will it ring a bell in New Delhi’s power corridors?

Dr Shailajanath,Andhra Congress leader:Dr. Shailajanath: You can’t reply to this in two or three words. We strongly believe in the State remaining united. Please go back and see what the scene was in those days when the two States were there. But it is only in Andhra Pradesh in the last four to five decades, that particularly the Dalits, the OBCs, weaker sections, Muslim minorities and women, have seen vast development in society, in both financial and social aspects. There is no doubt that this was possible only in a united Andhra Pradesh. They are also safer in this united State.

But your own Congress MPs and MLAs from the two regions are divided over the Telangana issue.

Dr. Shailajanath: It is the greatness of the Congress party. It is the most democratically functioning party. So they give a choice to all the stakeholders to deliberate on the issue and speak their views. Ours is not a party like the Telugu Desam or Jaganmohan Reddy’s party. It is a democratic party under the great leadership of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi; we work democratically. So this dissent is the greatness of the Congress party.

chindu: Will the Congress high command’s position be finally accepted by all? Dr. Shailajanath: They are repeatedly saying that they will deliver a good result, a good end. I hope that the good end will always be a united Andhra Pradesh, because it is only in a few districts that the TRS problem is there, maybe not more than five districts. In the remaining, it is the sway of the Congress party and other opposition parties. So, I think sentiment alone cannot give a new State.

chindu:If the Centre concedes Telangana, how will the government cope with the backlash, for there is a fear that coastal Andhra will again erupt into lawless activities.

Dr. Shailajanath: Definitely, the recent history is there. On that day, Dec 9, 2009, after they [the Centre] announced [the intent to form a separate Telangana State], without any prodding or motivation from the leadership, for 10 to 15 days the entire coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema was paralyzed. If the time comes again, they will agitate more; definitely, whenever a threat comes to them [people of those two regions], they will react.

Chindu: You expect the status quo to remain?

Dr. Shailajanath: Yes, definitely. It is not that kind of a simple issue, or a border dispute or anything like that. It is really not a dispute. It is an issue of inter-dependability. The dependability is from region to region. For example, in Telengana, they are utilising more than 5,000 million units (MU) of power on an average till today. But they are producing only 2,000 to 3,000 MUs, like that. For their lift irrigation schemes in future, they will need another 5,000 to 7,000 MU of electricity. It is impossible... because the Godavari river is always beneath; they are upland. So, they are always on lift irrigation. Like this if you see, every party of the State is dependent on each other.