Telangana capital decided?

Though the Central government is projecting outwards that it is not looking towards any other options other than making Hyderabad as capital only for Telangana after   years, sources say that Congress leadership is working towards alternative formulas too. 

The Congress gamble is that once it announces separate statehood for Telangana and pacify T-agitators and hit back at TRS, then it can work out some form of compromise. With reports that Centre is mulling some form of central control over Hyderabad and a UT like arrangement, there are chances that Warangal may be the capital of Hyderabad. 

Even some Congress leaders are reportedly amenable to this proposal because if again all investments come to Hyderabad, then who will develop interior Telangana. But if Warangal is made the capital, then they are sure it will lead to all round development of the region.

CM Kiran missing in action!

Trouble seems to be brewing for Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy from all fronts. Even as Delhi's decision to divide Andhra Pradesh is just beginning to sink in, Kiran Reddy is slowly turning out to be the villain of the piece.

Andhra leaders are privately fretting and fuming that he has kept them in the dark till the last minute, sending feelers that he would resign if division was pushed, but finally bowing to the Delhi diktat to protect his chair.

Branding him a covert, they now seem to be regretting for having lived under the belief so far that Kiran would not allow division of the State at any cost. At one of his meetings with Congress president Sonia Gandhi much ahead of the Telangana announcement, he was said to have been sounded about the impending move.

Back home, Kiran leaked to the media that he had threatened to resign if division was pressed. The truth, however, was that Kiran obtained an assurance that he would be continued as chief minister of the divided Andhra State if he saw through the process.

Keeping his cards close to his chest, he did not disclose to any of the ministers the thinking of the Central leadership, conveying an impression all through that division would somehow be stopped.

No wonder, one of them told the Chief Minister at a meeting in the wake of the division that no purpose would be served if they resigned and if at all, Kiran should step down.

The Chief Minister reportedly remained silent on hearing this comment. On the other hand, Delhi leaders are said to be extremely unhappy that the Chief Minister has remained a silent spectator to the vandalism in Coastal-Rayalaseema region where statues of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were either burnt or pulled down.

It was only after a dressing down by the Central leaders that he advised the police to check such acts. To this day, he has chosen to confine himself to the safe precincts of his camp office, not making any effort to come out into the open and play the role of a leader who is capable of bringing about good sense on both sides of the divide in these difficult times.

According to those in the know of the mind of Delhi, the Congress leadership is now beginning to worry whether Kiran, even while pretending to fall in line, would indirectly encourage such actions that would turn out to be a stumbling block in its plans to push through the division process as early as possible so that the Congress can install its governments in both the divided states ahead of the elections.

An interesting poster on Facebook gives an insight into what is happening in the State and how people are viewing Kiran Reddy. It is typical of 'missing' advertisements one often finds in newspapers.

It says: 'The person in this photograph is missing. His name is Kiran Kumar Reddy and he is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Ever since Telangana state was announced, he has not been seen by the people.

We request you to come before the people. We will not hurt you for we know how inefficient you are. At best, we will defeat you and your party.' The post ends with a warning: 'Who ever gives information about this person will be punished.'

AP became victim of dirty politics?

Strong votaries of Telugu unity and even analysts are asking this question whether the corruption charges during first five years of Congress rule and later the prevailing uncertainty in the state and now the current round of agitation, will Andhra Pradesh ever bounce back to the limelight and see growth again. 

Though this can be dismissed as an overly pessimistic point of view, there seems to be an element of truth in it in case there is no compromise reached by  Centre between people of two regions and even if they fail in case of Hyderabad or the required fund allocation for building new capital in Andhra. 

Some of the critics are also saying that this is a larger part of conspiracy by some of the leaders hailing from South India like Chidambaram, Verappa Moily among others how somehow wanted to destroy AP so that their states can grow well and there is no competition.