A lot of hue and cry is being made on the way three Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLAs were allegedly sold out to the Congress party in the MLC elections and had cross voted for its candidate.
But for those who have been observing the Indian politics particularly that of the Congress party, it has come as no surprise. It is a sheer coincidence that the cross voting episode in Andhra Pradesh has come to light at a time when the cash-for-vote controversy is rocking the Congress party at the national level.
It may be big news for the media in the context of the Telangana movement, which has reached its peak in the last few weeks. And for those who have been opposing the bifurcation of the state, it has come as an excellent opportunity to run down the Telangana movement.
Though TRS president K Chandrasekahra Rao took swift measures to control the damage by suspending the three MLAs -- K Vidyasagar Rao of Korutla in Karimangar district, E Ravinder Reddy of Yellareddy in Nizamabad district and Kaveti Sammaiah of Sirpur in Adilabad district from the party, it is going to snowball into a big revolt within the party, which is what the integrationists have been desperately looking for.
To be honest in the analysis, it is wrong on the part of the media and also the news analysts to isolate the TRS from the rest of political parties. Like any other political party, the TRS too is made of leaders and cadres who belong to the same breed. KCR is not a super human being and a paragon of virtues; and so are not his party MLAs.
We cannot expect these leaders not to be selfish, greedy and money-minded. They are all out and out bloody politicians with all the bad qualities of any politician. And even if the Telangana state is formed, it is foolish to expect the state to become a paradise with selfless politicians.
So, one cannot find fault with the three MLAs for being sold out for Rs 1.5 crore each to vote for the Congress candidate. They might have felt that when there was no possibility of the TRS candidate getting elected even if they voted, they could as well make some money by cross voting for the other party candidate. And they might have also thought that it would no away affect the Telangana movement.
And anybody thinks KCR has proved his honesty by suspending the three MLAs, he is mistaken. The TRS president was compelled to take action against them only under the pressure. He is no more the sole champion of the Telangana cause and there are several other forces which have taken control of the Telangana movement. If he does not act, he, too, would be branded as a black sheep in the movement. One still doubts his sincerity in suspending the MLAs; he might even take them back into the party when the situation turns advantageous for him.
Since it is the question of Telangana movement, the focus is entirely on the TRS legislators. But going by the same yardstick, the cross voting resorted to by the Congress MLAs owing allegiance to YSR Congress Party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is also no less a crime.
If the three MLAs were sold out to the Congress party, these Congress MLAs are sold out to Jagan. So, why blame only the TRS?
