How the Telangana will be formed eventually

Formation of Telangana state is inevitable. From where we are today, it is largely irrelevant going back into Andhra Pradesh state, Madras state or the erstwhile Hyderabad state history.

Any argument based on historic facts or misinterpretations will only stir up further emotions, enable opportunistic political maneuvers’ and destruction of already charged up social fabric. The state is now vertically split between Telangana and united Andhra Pradesh.

For those on the side of united AP perceive that with the large scale revolt all across Andhra and Rayalaseema regions is good enough to stop the formation of Telengana state. On the other side, Telengana side is now convinced that nothing would stop their "liberation" or "independence" from the Andhra dominance.

The main argument for the formation of Andhra Pradesh state in 1956, is to bring all Telugu speaking people under one cultural identity. Main reason behind this thinking at that time was Telugu speaking people of Madras and Hyderabad states have suffered for extended periods of time and lost their cultural identity. While Andhra region suffered under Tamils and British, in Telengana region Telugu speaking people endured even a cruel rule of Nizam.

The only common identify and bondage for both regions was their language. I do not want to discuss if this was a willing marriage or forced marriage. But the successive elections in the state for more than 50 years have proved one point strongly. The division of state did not having strong support. There was an element of discontentment always. And politicians always are there to cash on the opportunities.

Recently, during one of my visits to Ireland I was talking to one of my Irish friend about the troubles in the Northern Ireland. The quick summarization was, the support for Republicans was limited. Yet, IRA or other groups make lot of noise, try to influence US Government and take radical position - raise and fall at regular intervals from success. But the fact is, most of the people in the Northern Ireland despite have strong Christian identities are keen to get on with their daily business than getting struck, perhaps with this longest ongoing struggle since 1920. On the face of it, all this is seen as struggle for a Protestant or a Catholic identity. No, it it is actually a struggle for culture and racial identity - a struggle for the unified Irish state away from English!

If the key to formation of Andhra Pradesh is language - the current struggle for the division is on cultural identity. While the argument for the Unified Andhra Pradesh group is language - the Telengana group wanted to break away from Andhra culture and Andhra domination. It may be right that while the Andhra people domination in Telengana region businesses, power and influence is very high, Telengana people domination in Andhra region is almost limited. This is now seen as the cultural political, cultural and economic submission by Telengana supporters. This was just the similar problems and situation Andhra region faced and suffered under Tamils until l950's.

Despite the fact Andhra Pradesh remained a unified state for more than five decades, the cultural integration does not happen even the Hyderabad city the point where both cultures have opportunity to mix and emerge as Andhra Pradesh culture. This never happened nor any effort was made either. Hyderabad is city of mini ghettos. We know who will be living in Ameerpet and who is living in Charminar and who lives in Amberpet? What is going on at Tygaraya Ganasabha? Who will go for Bonalu and we is celebrating Sankranti? Thus, on the face of it - even if all are Telugu speaking people they are different, like Christians in Ireland!

As I said, the movement for the Telengana did not have critical mass. As a matter of fact support for the movement is fading. The 2009 elections proved this point without any ambiguity. The problem today paralyzing the state is a political coup. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) left the decision to Congress Party. Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) followed TDP. Congress left the decision to Delhi. And the matter is left to the High Command (read Madam Sonia Gandhi).

Both TDP and PRP both for their short term political gains and to put YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a serious political crisis, dared Congress to pass the resolution. Once the decision is left to Sonia Gandhi, the political coup was orchestrated by a Punjabi, Bengali, Italian, Malayalee, Gujju and a Kannadiga! There was no Telugu or Andhra or Telengana leader in this decision making process. I do not want to debate on if Telengana state is good or not so good. But the decision making body, aptly told the shocked nation (including KCR - who never dreamt such a decision would be announced like a painless natural birth to make him Father of Telangana!), that the decision is in the national interest. [No wonder - it is perhaps in the international interest as well with an Italian onboard at the helm]

Meanwhile TDP and PRP fell into their own grave. Chandrababu Naidu until now considered the tallest Andhra Pradesh leader and Chiranjeevi, a political pigmy with huge image still and wider appeal have become eunuchs! State went to political chaos. The state CM, Rosaiah is still licking the feet of a Gujju and Italian in Delhi. Naidu and his party went to deep political crisis and Chiranjeevi is looking at the screen play of his blockbuster movies to regain the position from the nadir. At the stoke of midnight the dignity of all Telugu speaking people was mortgaged to Delhi dubar due to foolish acts of Naidu and Chiranjeevi.

The problem today for the division of the state is not politicians, but people. The revolt is spontaneous. Politicians fell in line. They new it is the time to decide between Delhi and Galli. Emotions are charged. People are worried. Suddenly someone became a settler in his own state. But the politicians knew how to handle this mass emotions and encash them.

While everyone thinks Congress High command wanted to maintain a status quo - the fact is, it may be trying to build a future strategy on the critical element that is the genesis for this agitation. Since bifurcating the state on the basis of language is NOT working, in the coming months we will see the emergence of Cultural colour in the Andhra region. Split between Andhra and Rayalaseema. Then state will be ready for the trifurcation. If I am right, in the coming months we see the separate Andhra and Rayalaseema movement will pick up. The high command at Delhi will instruct their Agent-in-Chief, Rosaiah to issue a couple of GO's that would make Andhra people position vulnerable in Government. Key and trigger some leaders for the separate state cause. Bring the critical political mass and sell to the wider masses.

Then bring all our elected political eunuchs to Delhi and tell them that there is no option but to trifurcate the state in the national interests. After all, in the world everything has price and our Andhra politicians are first class Capitalists. For all the so called leaders Political power is a catalyst for their business power. Andhra Pradesh will be split. Telengana will be formed along with an Andhra and a Rayalaseema. Andhra politicians will sell hype to Andhra and Rayalaseema citizens with dream capital and golden future.

Having born in Andhra, brought up in interior Telengana - I do not know who I will be? Who cares? Like I cannot understand the Irish struggle and Sonia Gandhi or a Gujju Bhai or Tamil Chettiar does not understand the Telugu people and their sentiments. But Bangali babu does not want his Bengal divided for Gorkhas nor Kannada huduga does not Kodagu in his home state.

But they are not political eunuchs like Chandrababu Naidu, Chiranjeevi, Jayaprakash Narayan, K Chandrashar Rao. After all they have Bengali, Gujarati and Tamil culture. We do not have something called Andhra Pradesh culture!

But, this Italian Bahu and her coterie knows all well about their political strategy. A weakend state will make the so called Leaders to bend and prostrate infront of Delhi dubar and keep her and her son's political future secure for generation.