Further splintering of states--a political agenda

As the Congress bosses in Delhi were busy promoting the weak leadership of K Rosaiah in Andhra Pradesh (after the death of former Chief minister YSR),it provided an ample room to KCR of Telangana Rashtra Samiti to vigorously pursue his long pending demand for creation of a separate Telangana state by undertaking a fast unto death .With the fasting leader’s health suddenly deteriorating ,the centre guardedly agreed to the demand of bifurcation of Andhra state subject to state Assembly passing a resolution for creation of a separate Telangana.

Soon the state was plunged into utter chaos and, as the matters stand today,the status of more than 130 MLAs from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra ,who submitted their resignations against the creation of a Telangana state,remains uncertain.Later with Andhra Assembly adjourned sine die and the centre leaving the issue to the state itself,the bifurcation issue has been put on the back burner..


But as a side effect of these happenings ,KCR’s son Tarakarama Rao has also prominently emerged on the political horizon of the state.

The issue of bifurcation prominently brings forth wider implications both at the State and national level that need deep study and appropriate action.

The Andhra’s Capital city of Hyderabad has already acquired a cosmopolitan status being a hub on international IT map,high growth of Real Estatae and location for a number of central defence and civil offices.Resulatantly the people of Rayalaseema and coastal regions have been seen as seriously resisting the merger of this city with the Telangana State though the city geographically and historically squarely falls in the Telangana region.From a reverse view,the merger of Hyderabad with the backward state of Telangana may dim the future growth of this city itself.A mechanism to promote the economic interests of the Telangana region could be a way out of the problem of division of the state of Andhra Pradesh .

At the national level various political parties have suddenly started a chorus for the creation of a number of smaller states stressing the development and regional interests of the concerned areas.Mayawati who otherwise comfortably rules the state of UP with an absolute majority still has written to the Prime Minister for four states to be carved out of Uttar Pradesh to speed up the development of this otherwise neglected and economically backward state.This move diminishes the political impact of development efforts recently launched by Congress led UPA government in the Bundelkhand area of UP.Creation of Gorkhaland for the Darjeeling and its adjoining areas alienated from the rest of Bengal both culturally and geographically raised by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.Since a mumber of years also resonates across the country.Similarly demands are being raised for bifurcation of Maharashtra and lately even of bihar.Statehoods are now being sought on the key issues of development and administrative imperatives.But raising the demands for division of states is primarily a political agenda.