The issue of division of State of Andhra Pradesh to create a new state of ‘Telengana’ has joined in the list of burning issues in the country with the concentration of national media on this issue since a few weeks. While BJP has been supporting the cause of ‘Telengana’ since 2000 seriously, Congress has taken a firm stand on Telengana only in 2009. Now after several turns, twists and agitations in Telengana region, as the General Elections 2014 are just about to be conducted in a few months, Congress party passed resolution on Telengana in CWC meeting and also prepared Cabinet Note to convince the Telengana people that it is the Congress Party alone can fulfill the aspirations of Telengana people for a separate state for them, with a equal hope to win at least 15 out of 17 Lok Sabha Seats from Telengana Distrcits.
That means if Congress hopes to win 15 seats with the help of Telengana people, what could be the fate of BJP? Does it mean that Telengana people gives only two Parliamentary seats for BJP from Telengana district, in spite of BJP supporting Telengana cause for last 10 years? In spite of supporting the Telengana cause for more than one decade, is that the mean result BJP could expect and get satisfied itself with just those two Parliamentary seats from Telengana districts, leaving rest of the 15 Lok Sabha seats to Congress Party, despite its assurances to Telengana people to support Telengana Bill in Parliament? That small number of two seats from Telengana region is sufficient for BJP, in helping Dr.Narendra Modi to become Prime Minister of India?
Congress is in firm hope that it would win not less than 15 Lok Sabha seats out of 17 from Telengana region that is the reason why Congress party prepared to sacrifice 25 Lok Sabha seats from Seemandhra region, as per the analysis of local political pundits. That means Congress party is expecting that Telengana people would show more gratitude towards Congress party for announcing Telengana state and preparing Cabinet note on Telengana. Congress party sacrificing 25 seats from Seemandhra region sounds foolish for common man, but the reason is, there are strong regional parties like Telugu Desam, Y.S.R Congress Party have strong hold in the Seemandhra region, which may not help Congress in winning not more than six or seven seats in that region. Whereas in Telengana region, inspite of Telengana Rastra Samithi’s (TRS) strong hold in the region, Congress had political bargain with TRS party, to merge it in Congress party if once Cabinet Note on Telengana is preparted by Congress party. But even after preparation of Cabinet Note, TRS is not merged in Congress Party. Congress is also now not insisting on this issue so strongly. This aspect is giving raise doubts to local media pundits that, is there any other mysterious reason behind Congress suddenly dividing State of Andhra Pradesh, on the pretext of creating Telengana state, by sacrificing 25 Lok Sabha seats in Seemandhra region, and even though TRS is not yet merged in the Congress party, while on the other hand BJP is also vying for majority Lok Sabha seats from Telengana districts?
Now the issue is who would win majority Parliamentary seats in Telengana region, whether BJP or Congress, for having shown strong commitment to Telengana state, by dividing Andhra Pradesh? How the people of Telengana show gratitude towards both parties? By giving rather equal number of seats to BJP and Congress i.e. 9 seats to Congress and 8 seats to BJP? Then what about the fate of TRS Party, which is not yet merged in Congress party? Or else would Telengana people apportion the seats between Congress, BJP and TRS, by giving equal or nearly equal number of seats to all three parties i.e. for about seven seats to Congress and five seats to BJP and another five seats to TRS? With the seven seats won by Congress in Telengana region, would Rahul Gandhi become Prime Minister of India? Or getting five Lok Sabha seats from Telengana region will help in any way Mr.Narendra Modi to become Prime Minister of India?
Congress and BJP have absolutely lost ground in 13 districts of Rayalaseema and Andhra regions, with their stand for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh state, and people of Seemandhra regions have become anti-Congress and anti-BJP, which is very well known to both parties. For at least about one decade both parties can not expect even a single seat in that 13 districts, because there the people have become inimical towards both, even though both parties have loyal leaders in that region. It is the people who have to vote the leaders into power, not the leaders get elected automatically, without peoples support. At this point both parties have failed to realize hence, died in Seemandhra region.
Accoridng to some pundits, in Telengana region both BJP and Congress are over estimating their winning chances. In fact TRS is the major stakeholder for the credit of separate Telengana. In spite of Congress and BJP’s support, large sections of Telengana people in the villages still believe that TRS is the main cause for bringing Telengana state, so major portions of votes would go to that party. So in the coming general elections votes would divide between Congrees, TRS, and BJP, otherwise or unless and until the TRS party is merged in either one of the national parties before Telengana bill is introduced in the Parliament. If TRS is not merged either in Congress or BJP it becomes another death blow to both the national parties, once TRS party taken U turn on its promise to merge either in Congress or BJP. Both the national parties’ efforts, hopes, aspirations would become futile, if TRS is allowed to contest independently in the next General Elections. Both BJP and Congress would eat humble pie in next general elections, unless and until TRS is merged either in Congress or BJP, despite Congress introducing Cabinet note and BJP supporting the Telegana Bill in the Parliament.
How Telengana people would show gratitude towards both Congress and BJP, and do justice to both of them in the 2014 General Elections, has to be seen. By dchaitanya.