Lack of political will is what the Congress leadership has often been accused of, especially in the context of the Telangana separate statehood demand. But with the general elections round the corner and a number of factors inimical to the grand old party’s political interest gathering steam in Andhra Pradesh, a decision on the long-festering T-issue could be expected sooner than later. What is giving rise to sudden expectation is the fact that the Congress core group is about to discuss at its Friday meeting a report on the T-issue submitted to the party high command by new AICC state incharge Digvijay Singh.
Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha and state PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana have been called to the same meeting, where they are to give a presentation on the political fallout of a “final” decision on Telangana. The AICC headquarters is abuzz that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has been pushing for a quick decision and the Chief Minister’s presentation is designed to that end.
Many issues, including a perceived pro-Narendra Modi sentiment in Telangana aided by the BJP’s stand that it would grant the region its statehood wish if voted to power, seem to be propelling the Congress leadership towards a final decision.
Despite its relatively miniscule presence in the state, Modi is scheduled to hold a rally in Hyderabad on July 28 to cash in on the BJP’s support to the T-demand and to increase footprint in the state. The Modi factor could be a mere pinprick, but YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy’s popularity and a possible political revival of Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP are more than mere headaches for the Congress.
A section within the Congress leadership is said to be of the view that a decision on Telangana – it accounts for 17 seats in the Lok Sabha –may not only help the party win the mandate in the region, but also help restrict Jagan and Naidu to Rayalseema. Also, the projection of Union Minister Chiranjeevi in the coastal area may swing the social equation in its favour.
