People's Democracy

ANDHRA PRADESH

Uncertainty Looms Large

Telakapally Ravi

MORE than 100 MLAs and most of the MPs from Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh state belonging to the ruling Congress, TDP, TRS, BJP and CPI resigned en masse on July 4 and 5. This was followed by a two day near total bandh in Telangana region, which naturally found its echoe in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions in the form of protests to keep the state united.

TRS and Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) have been demanding resignations from the beginning. Expectations given were such that once Congress members resign, it will automatically usher in a separate state or governments in New Delhi and Hyderabad would crumble under the weight of resignations. Though resignations of this scale were significant, nothing of the sort expected happened. In fact, the AICC in charge for the state, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was in Hyderabad when the resignations were given, made light of them and reiterated that the solution to the vexed issue would take much more time.The resigned leaders were immediately called to Delhi and they left on the same afternoon after submitting their resignations. State panchayat raj minister K Jana Reddy, who spearheaded the resignations, categorically announced that it is not a political crisis. Paradoxically, the resigned leaders held a meeting at the residence of union minister Jaipal Reddy who did not resign. As usual, many consultations and confabulations followed, statements galore but the essence -- same dilly dallying  tactics, playing with regional sentiments of people.

At the end, home minister P Chidambaram  came out with the comments reminding  that December 23 statement should also be taken into account when speaking about December 9, 2009 statement. While this is not untrue, the fact remains  that centre is the creator of all the confusion. An all party meeting was held on Juanury 5, 2010  and Srikrishna Committee was formed as per its descision. Even the report of the committee was presented at at the end of 2010 itself. The centre is well within its right to announce a descion on that basis or on its own. Neither happened and the centre took the rather peculiar stand  that it is for the parties of the state to  decide. Accordingly, another all party meeting was called and many parties like TRS, TDP and  BJP  abstained themselves. From then on, the centre took shelter under the specious argument that in the absence of consensus, it can not move further. This attitude is nothing but putting the cart before the horse. Even Chidambaram admits that a solution can not be found without  Congress and TDP conveying their stand. Both the parties are singing different tunes in different regions while TRS is going ballast with occasional recesses. In fact, it was KCR’s visit to Jana Reddy’s residence a few days ago that triggered the latest devolepments.

While all the parties barring CPI(M), MIM and Lok Satta sing separatist tunes, there are multiple contradictions within them. The JAC which began with almost all parties, is practically now left with TRS, CPI(ML) and some other organisations. There is a plethora of JACs of various hues -- employees, students, doctors, lawyers, teachers etc. Of all these, the contradictons between TRS and TDP are most  acute. There is also speculation on TRS’s  possible tie up with Congress. The YSR Congress of Jagan is yet to announce its stand on Telangana, and it is expected that it would be as ambiguous as of the Congress and TDP.  The BJP is doing its best to widen its base by promising support to Telangana bill. Even Sushma Swaraj is tipped to contest from the region in the next election. CPI too organised a rally in Hyderabad that was addressed by its general secretary A B Bardhan.

In this background, the resignations are but a jolt to an alredy beleaguered Kiran kumar Reddy government. Several scenarios, including imposition of President rule, are doing rounds. That many elected representatives from Greater Hyderabad, including three ministers, did not resign is also significant. While TRS  and JAC are proceeding with a series of agitation calls, protests have also begun in other regions of the state. Thus it is back to square one, thanks to the opportunistic stand of Congress. One can only hope people of the state realise the nefarious gameplans of the vested intersts.

On July 6, a few Congress miscreants set on fire the CPI(M) office in Bhuvanagiri of Nalgonda district. Attempts were also made to obstruct the lone CPI(M) MLA J Ranga Reddy who did not resign in acoordence with Party policy.  It is very reprehensible because it is only CPI(M) that has shown maximum restraint and responsilbility to the people. Its stand against division of any linguistic state is clear, but it never belitlled the public sentiment. It has not joined regional movements of any kind in any region of the state and concentrated on the much ignored public issues. In fact many significant achivements were recorded even in these troubled times through united struggles of the working class employees and other poor. One can only hope that wiser sense prevail and this kind of undemocratic and destructive acts are stopped.

(July 7, 2011)