T-state may boost Cong electoral prospects

 An upbeat pro-Telangana section within the Congress feels that the party has about 100 days to carve out a separate state from Andhra Pradesh (AP) if it has to make electoral gains in the upcoming state and Lok Sabha (LS) elections.

The section of leaders also feel that the campaign for a united AP, which is rearing its head, would have no impact on the Centre’s decision on the Telangana issue.

“Forget Andhra Pradesh. It will soon be history,” retorted a Congress leader from Telangana, who spoke to Deccan Herald. These leaders feel that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting could take place before the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning August 5. It expects the CWC to take a decision to carve out a separate Telangana, followed by an approval by the Cabinet.

If a decision to form Telangana is taken, the due processes can take about 100 days and a new government can be in place by December. This would allow the Congress enough time to cash in on the move. If the elections are held as per the schedule, Assembly and the LS polls could be held in April.

The Congress may fare poorly in all regions in the LS and the Assembly polls in case AP is not bifurcated and will have to face the challenge from YSR Congress, led by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).

If a separate Telangana is formed, the Congress can be in a position to put up a strong show in 15 out of the 17 seats in the region. The two seats where the party  has no hopes are Hyderabad, held by Asaduddin Owaisi, and Mahbubnagar, represented by TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.

These indications were available after a meeting a group of pro-Telangana MPs, including Ponnam Prabhakar, Madhu Yaskhi Goud and P Govardhan Reddy, had with Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha in the national capital.

Rajanarasimha is learnt to have met Defence Minister A K Antony and AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh, who is in-charge of Congress affairs in AP.

The pro-Telangana group appears to be in no mood for compromise over the status of Hyderabad, which they see as their capital. However, they are ready for having Hyderabad as a joint capital for five-six years.