J R Janumpalli
It is certain that Congress party has decided to abort Telangana state declaration and decided to go in to elections without implementing it. The battle lines are being drawn by different political parties in the state for the elections. TRS, stung by the treason of Congress and TDP in earlier elections, is getting ready to go alone this time. Its aim is to increase its numbers both in Parliament and in the Assembly to the maximum possible. The uncertainties of coalition politics at the center also makes it wary to have a truck with other paries. The behavior of Congress and TDP parties since 9 December 2009; towards Telangana State declaration in the Parliament has created abhorrence to these parties in the region. The emergence of TJAC along with TRS has created a groundswell of support to the combine. Wide spread support to their programs and the results of the by-elections in the region have amply proved this.
The spineless and subservient behavior of T-Congress and T-TDP has exposed the lack of regional sensitivity in these sections. It was the result of gamesmanship of Andhra political hegemony. This lack of indigenous political ethos has costed very dearly for Telangana at a very critical juncture. The situation emphatically underscores the need for revival of the political ethos of Telangana. What better way there could be than the TRS and TJAC combine challenging the anti-Telangana political parties in the ensuing elections to grab maximum no. of MP and MLA seats? The political situation, the mood of people and the need of the hour are very ripe for the resurgence.
Despite the baneful experience of alliances with Congress and TDP in the earlier elections, we still are debating the alliances with political parties like BJP and CPI the so called friendly parties. The friendliness of these parties, for that matter any political party, is ephemeral and selective not compulsive. They are already thinking of having truck with anti-Telangana parties on the other side of the divide. Of course, these two parties were steadfast in their support for Telangana state in the last 3 years. BJP also did its stint at national level. They sound friendly enough, but their mood can change depending on the political exigency for them in their schemes of things. We can’t go on getting tossed up by these parties as per their whims.
Any way the presence of these two parties in Telangana is not substantial enough to have a full-fledged alliance with TRS which is strongly driven by Telangana movement and needs to contest all the seats. There also exist certain irritants to have an open alliance; like Muslim vote bank and their likely truck with other parties in Seemandhra. In fact there is no need for much ado in this matter. There can be a tacit understanding for a few seats commensurate with their strength for mutual benefit without dividing Telangana vote. But the problem is their over ambition, they want to increase their strength making use of the Telangana bandwagon at the cost of TRS. They feel like equal partners in the movement. It is not reasonable, because, Telangana movement is driven by TRS and TJAC combine and vice-versa. It is the combine which is the flagship of Telangana movement. BJP and CPI can play supporting roles at this stage.
Some of us also think that because BJP is a national party and its NDA is likely to come to power in the Center and grant Telangana state, TRS should form an alliance and BJP is given primacy and a lion’s share in the alliance. But the idea is fraught with many uncertainties which can again derail Telangana movement like it did in the aftermath of earlier elections. It is not sanguine to BJP either. If BJP cannot come to power it will be undermining its own position in Telangana in addition to causing trouble to TRS. Instead, BJP should graciously support TRS in this election. If BJP has a chance to form the government, TRS will certainly support it and BJP can have a fruitful political partnership with it in Telangana for a very longtime. The local leadership of BJP is not thinking on these lines.
After all the lessons learnt in 2004 and 2009 general elections and the subservience of T-Congress and T-TDP to their Andhra masters, it becomes imperative to create a formidable Telangana political entity which is the master of its own concerns and is capable of delivering Telangana state. Today Telangana movement encompasses entire Telangana population, thanks to TRS and TJAC combine. The combine was doing everything to get Telangana state declaration to be implemented during the last 3 ½ of years, but, because of the betrayal of other Telangana political entities and the lack of political numbers in the Parliament and assembly, they could not force their hard earned Telangana declaration to be implemented. It is time to transform this near total aspiration of Telangana people in to a political force without misplaced alliances with other parties. The coming elections are the opportunity and the arena where they have to build and exhibit this formidable political force. Therefore TRS -TJAC combine should be the political entity that would represent the political ethos of Telangana people. All the requisite wherewithal is on the ground to do it, if they attempt it with dexterity and determination.
Presently, the real Telangana political identity rests with TRS and TJAC combine and it would be the main contender in the 2014 elections for Telangana statehood. BJP, CPI and New Democracy will be supporting it commensurate with their political space in the region. It would be imperative to Telangana people to vote for TRS to get maximum no.of MP and MLA seats to force Central and State governments to concede to the formation of Telangana state. It is needed to get about 15 MP and about 80 MLA seats for TRS to create that kind of impetus. With 15 MP seats any alliance at the Center will need the help of TRS and with 80-85 MLA seats TRS can keep Andhra dominated parties at bay in forming the government in the state making them amenable to de-merger of the state. Repeating the performance of TPS in 1971, winning 11 out of 14 seats is a dire necessity for Telangana people.
The resurgence of Telangana political ethos is imminent to challenge the hegemony of Andhra dominated political parties, to repudiate the subservience of T-Congress & T-TDP elements and the intransigence of Congress high command.