Hyderabad: Now that the polling date is just three days away, the voters of Telangana would do well to be alert and wise, while taking the crucial decision as to whom to support and vote, and mainly against the maneuvers of the Telugu Desam Party and the other partner of the Praja Kutami, the Congress party; and their earlier utterances on statehood to Telangana.
Definitely, there is substance in the warning given by the caretaker Minister T Harish Rao that the alliance is threatening the very existence of the separate State. It is quite necessary to recall the statements earlier made by some of the Congress and TDP leaders on the eve of Telangana State formation and after separate State was formed in 2014. Some of the statements made by the Congress leaders of Telangana on this issue were made known by Harish Rao and other TRS leaders on Monday. People of Telangana, who had fought relentlessly for the sake of separation of Telangana from the united Andhra Pradesh, as injustice was meted out to the region in almost all sectors and the self-respect of the people was at stake, should act wisely now to ensure that the Region is not merged again into Andhra Pradesh, and the very purpose of their long drawn out battle was not defeated.
In this context, most importantly, the statements repeatedly made by the TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, after formation of the State, should be taken note of and kept in mind by all the Telangana-lovers and supporters. Surprisingly enough, Harish Rao has not referred to these statements. Chandrababu had said time and again that his party will surely capture power in Telangana State also in the 2019 elections, and added that ‘Telugu people were used to the practice of separating and again uniting and this process would go on’. This statement clearly indicates the possibility of merger of the two Telugu States again, and if the TDP comes to power in Telangana also, attempts would be made in that direction.
Now that Chandrababu Naidu has realized that there was absolutely no chance of the TDP coming to power in Telangana, he had stooped down to the level of joining hands with the Congress to achieve his dream of again uniting the two States. But for this design, there was no justification for the TDP to join hands with its arch rival, the Congress, to fight the TRS and its leader KCR.
Observers feel that it is time the people of Telangana took note of the statements of Chandrababu Naidu and decide on their future, which is now in their hands in the shape of Assembly elections. Observers also feel that the TJS chief Prof Kodandaram had committed a grave blunder in joining the front with TDP, without realizing the danger ahead, if at all the Congress-led alliance manages to win the elections. (NSS)
