By: J R Janumpalli
Political parties have a penchant for controversy. BJP and TRS have created a controversy in Mahabubnagar by-election. Lot of debate is taking place on the issue. Let us look at it dispassionately.
We have already got confused with Congress in 2004 and with TDP in 2009, may be BJP is trying to do the same in 2014. Looks like they have started it in Mahabubnagar . Any national party or Andhra dominated regional party cannot equal its commitment to Telangana with TRS (with all its shenanigans). We can argue endlessly on Mahabubnagar candidature, depending on which side of the wall you are. But it is not the point. TRS is the only party which has come out of Telangana angst and its ethos. Its only goal is emancipation of Telangana from Andhra hegemony. For BJP, Telangana is one of the many issues. It has its share of ‘let down’ to Telangana , courtesy TDP, in the past. Since, presently it is out of job at the center it has joined so vociferously the ‘Telangana band wagon’ and trying to ride piggy back with TRS. What will it do in the ‘coalition dharma’ in 2014 if it comes to power, is anybody’s guess. Even BJP high-command cannot make a guess now.
It is alright, inherently politics are uncertain. Whatever be their position, we cannot undermine the support BJP has given at national level for Telangana, this time around. But, whatever TRS and BJP together did in case of Telangana was mutual, inclusive not exclusive to each other. TRS though termed as regional party in comparison to BJP, it is the major partner in the region both for Telanganavadam and political spread. The presence of BJP is small in the state, despite its national party tag. But suddenly BJP has become ‘egotistic’ like Congress and TDP vis-a-vis TRS and had started demanding its pound of flesh rather prematurely. There is no need to indulge in any brouhaha on the wafer thin win of BJP in Mahabubnagar. There are many other factors in addition to ‘Telanganavadam’ in it. There is no point in discussing them here.
Yes, all Telangana vadis wish that there should have been a consensus between TRS and BJP for Mahabubnagar candidate. Because of Mrs. Rajeshwar reddi’s factor BJP acted late. TRS announced its candidate in a hurry, unilaterally. This could have been avoided. Considering the situation, it was not a big deal.It was like a ‘storm in the tea cup’ for both the parties. BJP as a national party could have acted with more equanimity, statesman like and earned a good will, to be encashed later at the appropriate time. But it has precipitated the matter and in a way, drove a wedge between the two parties. It is kind of a sample to warn us that, as long as Venkayya Naidu is calling the shots in the state in BJP, we cannot be comfortable.
Whatever be the merits of these two parties in this spat, let us all Telangana vadis be apolitical, assess things on merit, at least till we get our Telangana. Let us not get carried away by our political sympathies. No political party can be ‘hunky dory’ in its behavior. We have to be vigilant and do not get entangled in their political cobwebs. This spat between TRS and BJP has already happened. Let us try to contain the differences between the two parties and bridge the gap in the interest of Telangana vadam. Both the parties need each other in their political aspirations in the state. They should bury the Mahabubnagar hatchet and surge ahead together for mutual benefit.