My Journey: From United Andhra to Separate Telangana

Though I know the history and facts of Telangana agitation, I never thought a separate T–State would be a solution. It only needed a committed leadership who could dare to address the regional issues like factionism and the leftist extremism of the state. The first 30 years of un-inspirational Congress leadership clearly lacked a vision and commitment for the state development. It was the entry of NTR into state politics that initiated the modern day state development. NTR was the first visionary of the state leaders. He totally relooked at the state situation, introduced many a reforms into administrative system, acted tough on Naxalism, tried to address the concerns of Telangana public (by initiating the 610 GO to repatriate all non local candidates illegally appointed in the Telangana region to their native zones). He is the man who invoked the self esteem of a common man daring him to hold his head high and at level to look straight into the eyes of Delhi administration. NTR initiated the modern age beautification of Hyderabad city and developed tourism plan around Hussiansagar. His successor, Chandra Babu Naidu carried forward a greater IT and Tourism vision for the state. Chandra Babu dared the common man to question the bureaucrats with tough administrative reforms combined with automation of administrative processes. He streamlined the electric distribution system by initiating a regulatory authority to streamline the process. But his vision grossly ignored the backbone income group of the state i.e the agricultural sector. Small and medium farmers suffered a lot due to the steep increase in electricity bills (especially from Telangana region). Difference between higher and lower income groups widened. Farmers and Handloom workers started committing suicides in Telangana region. Implementation of 610 GO was shelved, Creamy official posts, cabinet ministries, state development contracts and urban lands at cheap rates were allotted to the high income communal groups of Andhra and Seema regions. Many government recruitments in Telangana zones were suspended, filling such posts by the deputed employees of Seema-Andhra.

The KCR dissidence and TRS: When KCR started off TRS splitting from TDP in 2001, I immediately realized that this would not be just one of those other Telangana bearing passing clouds. The simple reason being, he was instantly welcomed by various sections of Telangana (Employee unions, farmers, communal sections, labor unions and most importantly, the intellectual support by University professors). 2001: I personally thought the state was already in a progressive path with visionary leaders (Chandra Babu talking about IT & Tourism vision and YSR about Agricultural and social reform vision as an opposition leader). Being a Telanganite, I still welcomed TRS and firmly believed that whoever would rule the state next, would be forced to address the issues of Telangana to pacify the demands of separate statehood. But what happened in following years has been an act of heinous demoralizing politics with both Congress and TDP trying to kill each other by holding the gun against TRS shoulders. Every shot that was being fired ended up only hurting the sentiments of Telangana.

Within 60 days of it’s birth, TRS stunned many critics by winning a handsome vote share in the local body elections and ramped up it’s organization strength encouraging huge gross root level dissidences that caused shivers to Congress and TDP. Funds flooded from various Telangana supporters and NRIs, KCR established himself as a reckoning leader of Telangana within no time. Congress saw a great opportunity to dethrone the TDP and the Telangana Congress leaders succeeded in forcing their high command to form an alliance with TRS in 2004 elections (otherwise their own political existence was at stake). The ‘substance’ of the Congress – TRS alliance during the 2004 elections has been a mystery ever since. But to the people of Telangana, any alliance with a party like TRS meant that Congress accepted a separate statehood to Telangana. None of the Andhra and Seema Congress leaders opposed to this alliance. They just succumbed to their political necessities rather than thinking about the feelings of their own people towards state separation. TDP leaders of all three regions strongly opposed the idea of state separation and contested the elections on the United stance. TRS – Congress alliance won the 2004 elections with a thumping majority across the state and Seema-Andhra people’s acceptance to TRS-Congress alliance meant that they voted for the state separation. 2004: Though I never doubted KCRs commitment towards Telangana, I never had any confidence in Congress’ trademark politics and also believed that the state doesn’t really need to be separated to address the Telangana issues. I voted for TDP in 2004 elections!!

The heinous political game of YSR: Post 2004 elections, riding high on the thumping majority granted to Congress and the high command’s appointment as full term CM, YSR showed the true colors of Andhra political leadership. Instead of convincing the people of Telangana towards maintaining a united statehood, he resorted to heinous political games. On one side, YSR not only encouraged new separatist demands by Northern Andhra (Uttarandhra) and Rayalaseema, but also frequently encouraged the demands for an impractical Second State Reorganization Committee (by MP, Lagadapati RajaGopal) to further complicate the process of Telangana state formation. He further resorted to cheap backstab politics by supporting dissidence in TRS MLAs and frequently encouraging them to tarnish KCR’s political image. No Telangana Congress MLA was allowed to talk about the Telangana issues either in the House of Assembly or outside. Those few leaders who dared to speak (eg: Madhu Yashki, Uppunutala, Venkata Swami) were either countered by politically motivated allegations by Congress colleagues or were silenced by luring them with nominated posts. All controversial Telangana issues like Farmers’ and Handloom workers’ suicides, implementation of 610 GO, Controversial Hyderabad Free Zone issue, Allocation of fair share of Krishna water to Telangana region, reversal of ‘On deputation’ government officials in Telangana region; were all conveniently ignored. Instead, YSR initiated major water projects in Rayalaseema under Krishna riverbed, sold / allotted valuable urban properties to Andhra Industrialists at throw away process in spite of stern protests from Telanganites.

The best successful contribution of YSR governance to Telangana region happens to be curbing of leftist extremism aka China sponsored terrorism. Whatever the other popular welfare schemes introduced by him like ArogyaShri, 108 Emergency service, old aged pension scheme, Rs 2/- per kg rice etc were all targeted to entire AP state from the state budget. Telangana never got any special package from the budget. An age old conceived Devudula project phase-1 was also completed, at the inauguration of which, Sonia Gandhi was unable to show up her face to the public of Telangana for having not met to the people’s expectation on separate statehood. A group of very senior Telangana Congress leaders had to face utter humiliation at the Delhi doorsteps with the ‘high command’ not even granting them an appointment. Such was the influence of the Seema-Andhra lobby on Congress high command. All the above happenings brought in a metamorphosis in my vision towards the AP state. I started realizing the fact that it is impossible to fill the gap between highly regional oriented Andhra leadership and a diversified Telangana leadership that cannot lobby in unity to achieve any progressive goals of Telangana in a combined state. Neither Chandra Babu nor YSR would ever speak anything against the interests of Telangana, nor would they act at the pending demands of Telanganites that would lower the systematic Andhra dominance on Telangana region. The worst political offence committed by YSR was allowing the TRS dissident MLAs who violated the whip, to sit in the floor of the assembly for almost two and half years by holding their case pending with the Speaker until one day before what seemed to be an inevitable Supreme court’s judgment. 2008: First time I voted for TRS during the by-elections, in protest to the humiliations met with the Telangana leaders and with the people.

Thus a United Andhraite became a Separate Telanganaite! Thanks to YSR and Congress for making me realize the humiliating realities of a Telanganaite!!