There is a sense of intrigue behind the moves of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhar Rao whose meetings with senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj have created ripples in political circles. The questions are being raised over KCR’s motive behind opening a channel with BJP central leadership instead of mounting pressure on the UPA government and Congress leadership on Telangana issue.
The Congress leaders are viewing his political moves with suspicion as they feel that Congress alone was in a position to grant statehood for Telangana. Instead of making efforts to seek appointment with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other key Congress leaders, KCR has been in touch with BJP leaders and meeting them frequently during his stay in Delhi, raising eyebrows in the ruling party circles.
“It is like visiting a veterinary doctor when we have some health problem. How can a veterinary doctor solve our illness?” the APCC Chief D Srinivas wondered.
The TRS leader’s frequent demand for resignations by Congress leaders and his recent remark that Congress will be thrown into Bay of Bengal have also created doubts in the minds of the ruling party leaders. Ever since the start of the budget session of the Parliament, there has been floor coordination between TRS and BJP with the every move of KCR and his party colleague Vijayashanthi being supported to the hilt by the saffron party.
A maverick leader that he is, KCR virtually went into a shell soon after the recent “Million March” rally in Hyderabad and remained incommunicado for at least three days. It is said that he has been in constant touch with the BJP central leadership. This intriguing twist in Telangana politics and the statement of D Srinivas attacking KCR were given front page treatment by “Vaartha” and “Eenadu”.
It may be recalled that KCR had attended an NDA rally soon after the polling in 2009 and declared support for the saffron combine if it was willing to create separate Telangana state.
In a related development, “Andhra Jyothy” quoted a senior Congress leader and member of the party’s core committee as saying that there was no question of imposition of President’s rule in Andhra Pradesh. The unnamed leader also assured that there was no threat to the Kiran Kumar Reddy government which would last its full term. The Centre would take a decision on Telangana issue after the completion of the coming round of Assembly elections in five states. He voiced concern over “infiltration” of certain undesirable and mischievous elements into the Telangana statehood movement.
All the leading dailies gave prominent coverage to the Union Minister of State for Home Gurudas Kamat’s statement in the Lok Sabha, ruling out constitution of Second States’ Re-organisation Commission. The statehood demands would be dealt on a case-to-case basis depending on the local factors, political consensus and other considerations. The Centre has not received any proposal so far from any of the state governments for creation of smaller states.
