By: J R Janumpalli
A.P. is alleged to be not releasing power to the tune of about 2000 MW to TS as per its share in A.P.R.A. It is felt that, the A.P. and the Central governments in collusion are manipulating the power problem to force TRS government in TS in to a political debacle. As, most of the power plants are in A.P., TS is not in a position to meet its power requirement. In effect, the TS government is under siege and is hanging fire on the short term power requirement in the State. The working of TS government in other fronts other than this power problem is not of much immediate concern currently. It has another 4 1/2 years of its mandate. In fact, it has formulated several schemes as per its manifesto and started grounding them. But this badgering issue of the power is most critical for its political credibility. TS government’s procrastination on it is causing a great deal of anxiety, as it should be, in the minds of the people in TS.
Whatever efforts ostensibly are being made for power do not appear to come to the state’s rescue in less than 2 to 3 years. Government’s action plan for power for the next 2 years, and or the problems in it are not being made public. But they need to go through this rabi sason, next kharif and thereafter in agriculture and meet the needs of the industry as well. It appears even if the weather is good the state may still be hard pressed for the power, in coming years, if it does not get its share of power in real terms as proposed in APRA. It does appear that A.P. and Central governments will not be in a hurry to solve that problem in time to come to the state’s rescue, based on the present political developments. Therefore the TS govt should have some short term plans to meet the short fall of power and a political stratagem to realize their share of power withheld by A.P., as per A.P.R.A. simultaneously.
All the opposition political parties in TS are reveling in the troubled situation and the discomfiture of TRS government. They are not concerned with the stability of the state or the problems of the farmers or industries. The people in the state are also getting nervous and starting to put the government under great pressure. Their disquiet is understandable. The problem is also getting on to the nerves of the people in TNRI forums and intelligentsia in Telangana. The political affiliations, sympathies and animosities in them are coming to the fore. Some of them are embarking on an acrimonious campaign against TRS without regard to the sensitive state the Telangana State is in.
It is time for forbearance and cool thinking, not to get carried away by our political affinities and start denigrating TS government. Either the government should be allowed to work out its solution keeping faith in it or, if we can brainstorm a solution to its problems, we should do it, without getting nervous and quarrelling in ourselves, based on our political likings. It is pointless to make TS government tense with our kneejerk reactions in the midstream. It will only aggravate the situation.
If it comes to brass-tacks, taking cudgels on behalf of political parties or denigrating TRS is not the thing we need to do most now. The consolidation of Telangana state in to a full-fledged autonomous state is the most important factor for us at this stage of the nascent state. Changing our political allegiances now even if TRS falters, is not going to help us solve the problem, except playing in to the hands of enemies of Telangana state who want to make it a failed state. Just because of this short term power problem, losing total faith in TRS and present TS government is not the right thing. It has a mandate for all the 5 years of its term. It has not yet completed 6 months of it. It needs to be given its legitimate latitude.
As a matter fact it will not end with this power issue. A.P. will be harassing TS in that weird 10 year probation period of common capital and other fetters, on some pretext or the other. There is lot more in store to come. Central government will be on its side by default, at least for the next 5 years. That way TS government cannot have a free run to implement its agenda, as expected by its people. Some of the TNRIs and other intelligentsia in Telangana are getting riled up against TRS in a hurry with real and imaginary lapses, so early in its governance, unnecessarily. Instead, there is need for them to support TS government in its fight with central government in implementing the APRA in letter and spirit and addressing the legitimate concerns of Telangana as its tacit duty, since it is the author and the authority to implement it.
Here, we have to learn some lessons from andhras. Andhra congress leaders did everything in their capacity to stop TS for 4 years and tried to stop the division. In the end when division was inevitable, they managed to get several concessions to Andhra and put many restrictions to TS in APRA. Yet, Andhra people never voted for Andhra congress in the general elections. Whereas we have voted for some. And are taking umbrage on behalf of those political parties who were lukewarm to TS and allowed or worked for imposition of the restrictions against it in the Act. Also, now asking to surrender to Center, just because TRS is in doldrums in this present power crisis.
It does not mean to say that everything is hunky dory with TRS. Like any political party TRS also has its foibles. They need to be criticized and prodded to act properly. But, as we are in the very first term of our maiden TS government with that peculiar probation for 10 years; with A.P. government breathing on our necks; a common governor monitoring over us; the center playing truant with its own APRA, we cannot afford to participate in a free for all politics like in other regular full-fledged states. It can be counterproductive and can jeopardize the consolidation of our new state.
Moreover, TRS cannot afford to be anti-people in its very maiden government. If it does so, it will get its lesson. As the things stand, we do not have much scope except to sail with TRS, at least in these 5 years of its government to help it to deal with the anti-TS capers of A.P. and Central governments. Once the state graduates to a full-fledged state and or finds its moorings firmly, we can practice our pluralistic politics to our fill. Everybody can indulge in their idiosyncratic politics with a gay abandon, as we normally do in India. Till that time we have to be very circumspect and work with TRS government through its thick and thin. Even if such stand is termed as servility to TRS by some, it does not matter. After all, discretion is the better part of accomplishment.
‘ కొండనాలుకకు మందు వేయబోయి ఉన్న నాలుక ను పోగొట్టుకోవడం ఉచితము కాదు’