Seemandhra shuts door for Congress, BJP
Hyderabad: The two principal national parties ' Congress and BJP ' can forget the upcoming election in the 25-MP Seemandhra, which will be known as the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The two parties, according to almost every political observer, are bound to be treated as pariahs in Seemandhra ' Congress, for having pushed the bifurcation proposal and BJP, for ensuring the passage of the bill in Parliament.
In fact, post-bifurcation, electoral dynamics in Andhra Pradesh are expected to undergo a complete transformation. Till a week ago, when doubts over passage of the bill still existed, the mood was swinging in favour of TDP, which was expected to forge an alliance with the BJP, causing concern in YSR Congress, headed by Congress break-away leader, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
But, the very alliance for which Chandrababu Naidu was clamouring all along, often appearing desperate, could prove costly for the TDP as it faces the uphill task of retaining its identity in a separated State. No wonder, moments after the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, Naidu was crestfallen, almost in tears.
'Our leader did expect the BJP to find a way to wriggle out of its stated position in favour of a Telangana state, at least until the elections. But, he now feels totally betrayed,' admitted a TDP leader. A top BJP leader, privy to internal discussions before the party's position was firmed up, said it was a conscious decision, fully aware of likely losses.
'Irrespective of our support to T, the hero and heroine will get the benefit ' KCR for having fought for a separate state and Sonia Gandhi for having given it. We will be seen as a side hero. But, in Seemandhra, a pre-poll tie-up with TDP would have got us 15 out of the 25 seats. It was a cost we had to pay to retain our credibiity,' he said.
News Posted: 23 February, 2014
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