By: J R Janumpalli
The much touted behind the screen discussions of KCR on Telangana State have ended in a fiasco. If the unsavory remarks of some Congress leaders to the purported discussions are any indication, the party appears to be getting ready to abort Telangana declaration made in the Parliament. Congress Party seems to be veering round to the idea that it may not get as many MP seats as it wants in A.P. to make Rahul Gandhi PM, if the declaration is implemented. After all, their paranoia for number of MP seats and penchant for money bags for self and Congress coffers appears to be winning. But at what cost and for what purpose? Telangana might be one of the myriad issues in the nation. But aborting Telangana state declaration made in Parliament is not. It cannot miss the national attention. Besides it is being done as part of the gamble to anoint an ineffectual, bungling amateur as the Prime Minister of India.
Decades of long struggle by crores of people and death of 1000s people has no meaning to this oligarchy of Indo-Italian dispensation.
Whatever it may be, Congress party appears to be preparing to throw the gauntlet down in to the arena of Telangana for KCR to pick up. Though KCR has made yet another rhetorical statement to finish Congress party to get Telangana, it sounded like an anti climax, given to his confident belief in the last few months, that Congress party is positively contemplating formation of Telangana state.
In the process, the movement was made to lose its momentum albeit temporarily. Thanks to the success of Telangana March, which has, however made some amends. But this failure to make Congress party honor the declaration in Parliament before the next elections could be a daunting task for TRS. For, in the milieu, some loose ends have popped up in the movement which can become bottlenecks in the run up to the next elections.
They are, the suspected spat between TRS and TJAC; souring of relations between TRS and BJP; the talk of inroads by YSRCP in to Telangana; inherent contradictions in Telangana associations etc., These issues if not dealt with suitably can grow bigger as the time goes on and can have a deleterious effect on the outcome of elections.
It is an undeniable fact that, TRS and TJAC are the main engines that power Telangana movement. The strength lies in the combination, not in the parts. The anxiety of TRS to manage Congress party to concede Telangana state at the earliest without dragging it up to next elections was an understandable act. But its eagerness to engage unreliable Congress party secretively, volunteering to merge TRS with Congress and going slow on the statehood agitation has created some disquiet. The ever crafty Congress has considered this enthusiasm as weakness and slighted the effort. Though the effort has exposed the callousness of Congress party one more time, it has also caused some loss of face to TRS.
The maneuver also created some discord with TJAC in the run up for Telangana march. Congress party’s duplicity once again, has proved that Telangana March was necessary. If KCR was fully with it, its success would have been more striking and have lent more weight to him in the deliberations in Delhi. KCR’s remarks that he is not still happy with TJAC for MBNR fiasco also need a scrutiny. There, the TJAC was definitely wrong if not by design but by default. Even TRS had failed in resolving the issue of candidate between TRS and BJP. But TJAC were right in Parkal and wee doing well since then. They were successful in keeping some T-organizations not friendly with TRS within the bounds of the movement and were keeping the flag flying. In such a long drawn struggle with so many organizations to contend with it is certain that some such things happen. Prudence lies in taking them in to the stride and moving forward.
KCR’s blunt statement that he cannot work with BJP also causes some concern. Earlier BJP as partner in TJAC lent some solid support to the movement and also in Parliament. But, later they have developed an equivocal attitude towards TRS. They have tried to assert inordinately in the name of national party and raked up avoidable friction in MBNR and Parkal. Afterward, their support in Parliament also looked rather constrained. But in the event of going to elections without Telangana State which is more likely, it could cause a dilemma for both. There cannot be any guarantee that a BJP government in the center will automatically ensure Telangana. The presence of BJP in Telangana also is not very big, and it can gain if it works with TRS for Telangana in the general elections. Yet, before severing relations with a national political party which is amenable to Telangana state needs a careful consideration. It may be prudent for both the parties to be more circumspect and diplomatic to work together for mutual benefit.
Some other developments like, the loose shunting of individuals like Nagam and Venugopla Chary, some splinter groups of students and social organizations and some disgruntled individuals of former TRS origin throwing their weight with YSRCP to get even with KCR are also causing concern. They need to be given more attention and managed to work for Telangana with undivided attention.
If we are going to elections without Telangana, T-Congress can be a very important group for us to contend with. TRS and TJAC were saying so much about them but did not do much and could not make any dent in to the group. T-Congress MLAs, are hoping that Telangana state would be given before elections and they will come in to their elements again. But as the things stand now it does not appear to be happening. In the event of Congress party aborting Telangana declaration and going in to elections, T-Congress can find itself in an unenviable position. The time has arrived for them to make some bold decisions. If they ally with TRS it can be mutually beneficial.
The anti incumbency to Congress party’s ineffective administration and YSR euphoria will sweep the elections in favor of YSRCP in Seemandhra.
In Telangana, the movement in general, the aborting of Telangana declaration by Congress in such a detestable manner in particular and together with anti incumbency will sweep the elections in favor of TRS and its allies.
Some disgruntled groups inimical to TRS, the influence of some extravagant schemes of YSR can cause some trouble in Telangana. But if TRS and TJAC address these areas with a particular focus, there impact can be minimal. What will be the permutations and combinations and prospect of Telangana state after the elections would be difficult to define now. After the entire struggle in the last 3 years, if we are taken to elections without Telangana, then we have to face them. We have to pick up the gauntlet and accept the challenge. There is no point in cribbing and panicking. If we want to get away from Andhra hegemony and rule ourselves, we have to win the elections. If we cannot do that we do not deserve our State.
The best bet would be forcing Congress to take a decision before elections to create the Telangana state in clear terms. If it does not happen, T-Congress has to be roped in to the mainstream of Telangana movement by hook or by crook. Then all the proactive Telangana forces have to be made to come under one umbrella in a kind of United front and fight the elections. The result would be overwhelmingly in favor of Telangana. They can win about 100 seats. On the flip side, if T-Congress does not come in and the YSR largesse also works, the TRS still can win not less than 70 seats. For, Telangana desire has become very deep and wide in the hearts and minds of the people and the last minute aborting of Telangana declaration by Congress would be the rallying point.
To make a match of it, there is need for TRS and TJAC to work together with more commitment than before. They cannot afford to be thinking in terms of their own individual importance. The unremitting strong performance of Telangana movement is because of the synergy obtained by the combined effort of TRS and TJAC. There is need to resolve the minor misunderstandings that have cropped up in recent times at the earliest and surge forward with more resolve and unity to face the formidable challenge of elections, if and when they come.
Telangana intelligentia and TNRI orgs. were doing a great service in supporting TJAC in the movement with men, material, ideas and organisation. Now, as Telangana state appear to be postponed beyond elections, the movement stands at the cross roads. Several contentious issues are cropping up among the principal actors in the movement. As a non political and ideological platform this segment of Telangana has a very important role to play in removing debilitating influences and bringing together all the pro Telangana forces, to from a kind of a working united front. They with the co-operation of eminent people from Telangana, who are graciously lending support for Telangana state, have to form in to a third front of advisory to TRS and TJAC and to evaluate the situations dialectically and advise them suitably depending on the exigency.
Presently the tasks that need attention are: TRS and TJAC coordination; persuading T-congress; reconciliation of BJP and TRS; making all pro Telangana outfits to work in a functional united front, either for forcing Congress Party to ground Telangana declaration or making TRS/T-united front to win the elections decisively if Telangana declaration was aborted by Congress party and elections are forced on us. It may not be possible to achieve all these things in full. But there is a definite possibility of resolving many of these things for the benefit of Telangana State. We cannot allow the Congress Party to get away with one more historical outrage to Telangana people.