P.S.Jayaram (khaleejtimes,Hyderabad)
In politics, nothing is permanent. This has been proved time and again with political parties and leaders taking a U-turn from their stated positions on major and critical issues.In such a political scenario dictated by the need of the hour rather than ideological stand, the announcement by leaders from the YSR Congress (YSRC) that the party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy would be undertaking a two-day fast in Nizamabad district of Telangana region beginning January 10 should not come as a surprise.
The Lok Sabha member from Kadapa, who had even gone to the extent of holding a placard in parliament advocating a united Andhra Pradesh, is obviously trying to derive political advantage at a time when the ruling Congress and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party are on a weak wicket. Jagan, who was labelled as a villain by Telangana forces, will be undertaking the 48-hour fast ostensibly to highlight the plight of farmers in Telangana who have not been getting remunerative prices for their produce.
Political pundits, however, believe that this is one more step towards establishing electoral ties with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the party spearheading the separate Telangana statehood movement. Jagan had earlier announced that his party would not put up candidates in the seven assembly constituencies where by-elections are scheduled to be held following the resignation of the lawmakers representing these seats in support of the separate statehood cause.
Jagan, it may be recalled, had to abandon his mass contact programme in Telangana region in 2010, following violent protests by TRS activists because of his united Andhra stand. The YSRC chief was arrested and brought to Hyderabad from Mahbubabad in Warangal district, where he was scheduled to start the mass contact programme.
Since then, Jagan has been touring coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions and the crowds thronging his roadside meetings have been a cause of worry for both the Congress and the TDP, who fear that he may be eroding into their respective political bases. Having established strong roots in these two regions, the YSRC president is now eyeing Telangana where he could well turn out to be rallying force for Congress and TDP cadres who are disillusioned with their respective parties stand on the issue of Telangana state. The Congress, particularly, is in total disarray in the volatile region with the UPA government at the centre virtually going back on its promise of the state’s bifurcation.
What remains to be seen is how the TRS cadres will react to Jagan’s fast in Nizamabad district, one of the hotbeds of the separate statehood movement. It is an acknowledged fact that the youth in the state, irrespective of region, have been attracted towards Jagan and this could well happen in Telangana too. The TRS may also find it difficult to openly take on Jagan since the party has always maintained that anyone fighting for the cause of Telangana would be welcomed. Though Jagan is yet to come out with his stand on Telangana, the fact that he is taking up the cause of Telangana farmers may deter TRS from opposing his fast.
YSRC leaders, however, deny that there was any tacit understanding between their party and TRS. They argue that if the party’s decision not to field candidates for by-polls in Telangana is construed as a secret understanding with the TRS, the same holds good for TDP since the main opposition party had not fielded a candidate against the TRS in the recent Banswada by-election in Nizamabad district. The coming days are definitely going to be politically interesting with new alignments on the cards in the run up to the 2014 general elections.
The Lok Sabha member from Kadapa, who had even gone to the extent of holding a placard in parliament advocating a united Andhra Pradesh, is obviously trying to derive political advantage at a time when the ruling Congress and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party are on a weak wicket. Jagan, who was labelled as a villain by Telangana forces, will be undertaking the 48-hour fast ostensibly to highlight the plight of farmers in Telangana who have not been getting remunerative prices for their produce.
Political pundits, however, believe that this is one more step towards establishing electoral ties with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the party spearheading the separate Telangana statehood movement. Jagan had earlier announced that his party would not put up candidates in the seven assembly constituencies where by-elections are scheduled to be held following the resignation of the lawmakers representing these seats in support of the separate statehood cause.
Jagan, it may be recalled, had to abandon his mass contact programme in Telangana region in 2010, following violent protests by TRS activists because of his united Andhra stand. The YSRC chief was arrested and brought to Hyderabad from Mahbubabad in Warangal district, where he was scheduled to start the mass contact programme.
Since then, Jagan has been touring coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions and the crowds thronging his roadside meetings have been a cause of worry for both the Congress and the TDP, who fear that he may be eroding into their respective political bases. Having established strong roots in these two regions, the YSRC president is now eyeing Telangana where he could well turn out to be rallying force for Congress and TDP cadres who are disillusioned with their respective parties stand on the issue of Telangana state. The Congress, particularly, is in total disarray in the volatile region with the UPA government at the centre virtually going back on its promise of the state’s bifurcation.
What remains to be seen is how the TRS cadres will react to Jagan’s fast in Nizamabad district, one of the hotbeds of the separate statehood movement. It is an acknowledged fact that the youth in the state, irrespective of region, have been attracted towards Jagan and this could well happen in Telangana too. The TRS may also find it difficult to openly take on Jagan since the party has always maintained that anyone fighting for the cause of Telangana would be welcomed. Though Jagan is yet to come out with his stand on Telangana, the fact that he is taking up the cause of Telangana farmers may deter TRS from opposing his fast.
YSRC leaders, however, deny that there was any tacit understanding between their party and TRS. They argue that if the party’s decision not to field candidates for by-polls in Telangana is construed as a secret understanding with the TRS, the same holds good for TDP since the main opposition party had not fielded a candidate against the TRS in the recent Banswada by-election in Nizamabad district. The coming days are definitely going to be politically interesting with new alignments on the cards in the run up to the 2014 general elections.