One advantage that Telangana has over Andhra Pradesh is the people here are not so crazy about caste because historically, their common enemy has been the Nizam and Razakars.
That is the main reason why all sections of society could come together for a separate State.
But it seems as if the new Telangana is going the same route as Andhra Pradesh judging by the happenings in Huzurabad.
The constituency has around 2.3 lakh voters of which around 25 percent are Dalits. Around 21,000 families are eligible for Dalit Bandhu. That should answer the question as to why this scheme was flagged off in Huzurabad.
Now, the BC communities in Huzurabad are miffed at this preferential treatment and have been organising their caste meetings which are echoing with their demands.
There has been a Munnuru Kapu garjana, Vishwakarma Garjana and Rajaka Garjana, Gouda Garjana and Shalivahana Sammelanam.
Foreseeing this resentment, KCR has given the ticket to a Backward Caste person Gellu Srinivas Yadav to take on Eatala Rajender.
But that does not seem to be sufficient because the BCs as of now seem more inclined to Eatala who is also a BC.
Therefore, Ministers have been making unbelievable promises to these communities and laying the foundation stones for caste bhavans.
Harish Rao has promised a double bedroom house to poor Munnuru Kapu families on their land if the TRS wins.
In addition, Gouds have been promised quotas in allotment of liquor shops and bars. Christians are being promised Churches and community halls etc.
In this political game of one-upmanship, Huzurabad is completely polarised along caste lines. Dalits vs BCs, OCs vs BCs, Hindus vs non-hindus etc. The snake has entered the Garden of Eden and the people of Telangana are tasting the forbidden fruit.
One thing is for sure: irrespective of whoever wins the Huzurabad by-election, the losers in such a scenario will eventually be the people.
