It’s do-or-die for cornered Kiran

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kumar Reddy’s categorical statement that he won’t be pushed around over Telangana statehood heralds a turning a turning point for the embattled CM and his party in the State — for better or worse.

Ever since he took charge after the exit of K Rosaiah, the former cricketer always confined his game to defensive shots as the party’s national leadership kept dilly-dallying on the statehood issue.

Even wave after wave of agitation causing losses of tens of thousands of crores in terms of production, destruction of public property, security, and not the least, investments that went to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for lack of political stability in the State.

The violent agitations also ensured that the image of the City was sullied. The debris of statues at Tank Bund, barely a kilometre from the Secretariat, is a reminder of the paralysis of the State administration.

Though in power with adequate numbers, the chief minister has been constantly under attack from elements within the party — some blaming his indecisiveness over Telangana, the rest over issues ranging from corruption-tainted ministers to policy blunders.

The constant wrangle for power between the CM and APCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana also undermined Kiran’s ability to command the support of the party’s rank and file. With Botsa and actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi being promoted by some factions as possible replacements, the CM’s continuation in the post was always under doubt. To make matters worse, the numerous visits by national leadership’s envoys never made any credible impact in favour of or against the CM.

The divisions in Congress also resulted in the party being humiliated in bypolls, first by the TRS and then by former chief minister YS Rajashekar Reddy’s son and YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Kiran’s inability to stop a scam-tainted political novice from a sizeable chunk of Assembly seats was the ultimate humiliation for the chief minister.

It was at this point that Kiran Kumar Reddy realised that personal political oblivion and decimation of the party was at the doorstep. And ever since, the CM has taken the route of squarely confronting political adversaries.

The CM made it clear that he  will be at the helm till 2014 and rubbished suggestions to the contrary. This was also an open challenge his critics within the Congress to come out and confront him. Kiran’s gamble paid off as, with a series of electoral defeats in the backdrop, no one could muster enough courage to stage a coup and face the prospect of snap elections.

The latest statement of ‘enough is enough’ shows that the party’s national leadership sees Kiran Kumar Reddy as the best bet for the Congress in these testing times.

However, there are more challenges that await the CM. He will have to get the Telangana leaders of the party to either fall in line or keep quiet. With the Telangana agitation going out of KCR’s control, Kiran will have to decide whom he should woo and whom to ignore.

He also needs to get his act together as the head of the Council of Ministers and ensure that the complacence and paralysis that has become the trademark of administration are done away with.

The fate of the government, the Congress and Hyderabad now hinges on the ability of Kiran Kumar Reddy to walk the talk.

(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on October 3, 2012)

Sankranti T-party may sink students’ future

Barely has the State found its feet after the innumerable miseries of the 45-day Sakala Janula Samme and Telangana Rashtra Samiti supremo KCR has dropped his Sankranthi shocker — another wave of separate-statehood agitations.
Other than the industries, which suffered a whopping Rs32,000-crore loss and a massive migration of investments to states considered more ‘stable’, it is the education sector, which bore the brunt. Schools, colleges and universities lost precious working days, putting enormous pressure on parents and students alike.
Since the conclusion of the Samme, the educational institutions have been working extra hours, cutting short holidays or skipping them altogether to finish lessons. Such a massive interruption has had a serious impact on the psyche of students, not to mention the tremendous pressure brought about by the massive workload and in­adequate rest. The length of the agitation also forced parents to hire private tutors or arrange for tuitions, causing a further strain on family budgets.
Also thrown haywire, were plans of students preparing for entrances to higher education institutions elsewhere in India and abroad. About 10,000 foreign students in different colleges and universities were also at their wits’ end as the visas are issued for limited period and getting them renewed involves a lot of paperwork and expenses.
Life for the public was made difficult by closed government offices, lack of public transport and the massive power cuts forced by employees of Singareni Collieries joining the strike. Everything has a tipping point; the same applies to the agitation for separate statehood. With the Centre in no mood to concede to their demands, the public opinion, fuelled by the denial of services, turned against KCR and Co, the T-protagonists had no other go but accept the first face-saving truce.
But what happened to the students of Osmania University, the heart of the agitation? Nothing! OU students came out with flying colours in their exams and the cream of the lot was lapped up by major companies in campus placement drives.
So what happened to the students who were forcibly made to ride the separate-statehood bandwagon? They are struggling and toiling to ensure they don’t miss the bus when their contemporaries across the country are inching closer to the limited pie, without any hassles.
Even the latest round of agitation has been planned by the TRS bosses keeping the convenience of their foot soldiers in mind. The OU students will participate only 10 days after the stir begins as they have exams during those days. Now what makes the pink squad assume that the lives and priorities of the rest are not as important?
The last round of agitation was nothing but prolonged nuisance, misery, destruction of property, monetary losses and missed opportunities. A repeat of the nightmarish ordeal definitely looks scary.
If KCR and his T-brigade are confident about the public support they claim to have, they should have the guts to make participation in the Telangana agitation voluntary. Let the people decide if they are desperate enough for a separate state that they will drop all work and join their visionary leader and his cronies in realising the land of milk and honey that will cure all ills that have been ailing the region.
With the dismal performance of states for­m­ed on similar lines at ensuring jobs, development and justice to their regions in mind, the people will show the T-men where they stand.