Congress master stroke on Telangana

Congress High Command played it safe by announcing an All-party meeting on the contentious issue of Telangana and showed its maturity as a multitude of questions arise with the decision though TRS dubbed it as a joke.

First, the decision has brought order in its own house, what with Telangana MPs of the Party openly exhibiting their dissent and boycotting the meeting on Tuesday. This comes as a master stroke, with Telangana MPs falling in line and participating in the voting on FDI which UPA eventually won.

It has also stalled the efforts of TRS Chief K Chandrasekhara Rao from poaching their turf and gives the Telangana Congress MPs enough room to move around with pride in their region back home. The adamant MPs had earlier embarrassed the Party by open protests and holding of placards in the Parliament.

While the game is up between Congress and TRS, which voted with the opposition after the debate on FDI, now it has put TDP and YSRCP in the firing line. Leaders of both the Parties are undertaking padayatra in Telangana region as of now.

TRS just brushed the all-party meeting aside and KTR said that he did not get any official information about it. There is a demand that only one person from each party should be invited to the all important meeting to be held on December 28 which kicks up much heat.

As a saving grace, some other suggestions have come up that only party heads should be invited. But as practice would have it, the Party chief has the right to decide on who should go. Since this is a regional issue, the anxiety is growing as to the origins of the leaders who attend the meeting, if he or she hails from Telangana, Andhra or Rayalaseema.

Congress, TDP and YSRCP face this problem and the two opposition parties have much ambiguity on the issue and their leaders were never categorical on the issue. With pressure mounting that the declaration should be in writing the emissary attending the meeting will be conveying only the party stand and consensus may elude in all probable situations.

The two left parties have taken a contradictory stand and have been very vocal with CPI favouring separate state and CPM batting for an integrated state. Such clarity is lacking with other parties as they have been in power or aspiring for power.

December has always been a troublesome month for Andhra Pradesh for the past three years and it cannot be different this time around.