The possibility of the main opposition TDP forwarding a letter to the Centre on the vexatious Telangana issue on September 17 (Hyderabad Liberation Day) as repeatedly claimed by a section of Telangana TDP senior leaders, appears to be bleak, though the party Chief N Chandrababu Naidu is in favour of announcing a clear stand before his proposed yathra.
There is strong opposition from the Seemandhra TDP leaders to the move and they are coming up with many arguments to convince their Boss against sending the letter in favour of separate Telangana state at this juncture. They are citing the recent statement made by the Union Home Minister Susheel Kumar Shinde on the T issue and insisting that it clearly indicated that the Centre was not in a hurry to decide on the issue, and hence there was no need for the TDP to take a hasty decision and send a letter.
The TDP President had held talks with the party leaders on Monday and Tuesday on the Telangana issue, when the Seemandhra leaders expressed their strong opposition to any move of sending a fresh letter to the Centre. They came up with arguments that letter on separation would damage the interests of the party in both the regions; that the people of Seemandhra are totally opposed to bifurcation of the State and even in Telangana the sentiment is not that strong; that the TDP will suffer heavily in both the regions if it sends a letter in favour of separate T state; and that none –either the Centre or any other authority—had asked the TDP now to make it’s stand clear n the Telangana issue. They pleaded with Naidu that in view of these factors, there was no need for the party at present to send a letter to the Centre.
They also suggested to the Party Chief to demand the Congress party to make it’s stand clear on the issue first before seeking the views of other parties as it happens to be the largest party and also the ruling party in the State and at the Centre. Some of the Seemandhra leaders also suggested to the party Boss to convene an all-party meet within a month and then seek the opinions of the parties.
As already reported, Naidu came up with the plea that the TDP had already announced its clear stand on issues like B C declaration, S C categorization and Women declaration, and it would be in fitness of things if the party came out with a clear stand on T issue also, particularly in view of the fact that the party had already given a letter in favour of separate T state in 2008 itself to the Pranab Mukherjee Committee.
The Seemandhra leaders of the party, however, stoutly opposed the move and asserted there was no need for the party to send a letter now. It is said that some of the leaders have indirectly hinted Naidu that the party might not get funds from the Industrialists and Capitalists of Seemandhra if it sends a letter in favour of separate Telangana. In view of all these factors, the chances of the TDP chief sending a latter to the Centre by or on September 17, appears to be far, far remote, political analysts feel. (NSS)