In Sircilla, whose victory was it anyway?

Hyderabad: The 'Chenetha dharna' in the textile town of Sircilla in Karimnagar district was successful to an extent despite the protests by TRS leaders and cadres. YSRCP leader YS Vijayamma has made a point in making it to the Ambedkar statue as planned in the face of tensions prevailing on the way.

It has become a point of prestige for both the YSRCP and the TRS as the town is in the constituency represented in the Assembly by TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's son K Taraka Ramarao and the neighbouring constituency by former's nephew Harish Rao.

Vijayamma has gallantly waded through the troubled waters and scored over her political rivals.

The police had accorded permission to Vijayamma to hold dharna as they earlier permitted her son YS Jaganmohan Reddy to do the same at NIrmal in Nizamabad district.

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu also was given police permission and protection when he visited Palakurty. While about 5,000 police personnel were reportedly involved in security arrangements at the time of Chandrababu's Palakurty visit, about 10,000 police force was said to have been deployed en route from Hyderabad to Sircilla.

TRS and TJAC leaders along with the students have been arrested in five districts. There was lathi-charge on students. The bandh of education institutes in Telangana, for which the student leaders gave a call, is a negative fallout of Vijayamma's visit.

That the State government has been standing by leaders of any political party who want to tour in Telangana districts is clear. The government refuses to take any action against the workers of the TDP or the YSRCP. The YSRCP leaders had received help directly and indirectly from friendly MLAs in three out of the five constituencies on the way.

While Kutbullapur MLA is Kuna Srisailam Yadav, an associate member of the Congress and a known supporter of YSRCP, Medchal has industrialist- cum- politician Kichennagari Laxma Reddy, a Congress MLA, who is not against the YSRCP.

Then, we have Gajwel represented by Narasa Reddy, a Congress MLA and a close friend of YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Siddipet and Sircilla are the only constituencies which can be described as hostile.

Though the Congress leaders looked happy that the YSRCP could do what they could not do, they will soon rue the decision to allow Vijayamma to have her way.

The TRS and TJAC have been beaten back by the workers of YSRCP which seems to have considerable support in Telangana districts. It was manifest in the tension, akin to the nervous moments during the finishing overs of a 20-20 match, at the time of counting in the recently held by-elections in Parkal constituency of Warangal district.

Three districts (Nizamabad, Warangal and Karimnagar) of North Telangana, supposed to be a forte of the TRS and the TJAC, have been 'invaded' by YSRCP in recent months. The leadership of the Congress party has to contend with the jumping jockeys who are waiting for an opportune time to switch over to the YSRCP.

They feel emboldened after Vijayamma's Sircilla show. Some of the Congress leaders may feel elated that the TRS has been shown its place. But the damage is going to be more for the Congress than any other party.

It has afforded an opportunity for the TRS to mobilise people on Telangana sentiment once again and also to work with the TJAC after Prof Kodandaram and his colleagues have declared their 'independence' from TRS.

The YSRCP and the TRS may have scored some brownie points, but the hapless weavers of Sircilla have lost yet again. As far as they are concerned, it is adding insult to the injury.

They know that they are being used by the YSRCP as part of its campaign to show the government in poor light and that nothing positive is going to happen to their cursed lives.

They were not well during YSR's rule and there would be no change in their misfortune even if YS Jaganmohan Reddy were to become a Chief Minister after the 2014 elections.

'Chenetha' is in fact a misnomer. Most of them are weavers working on powerlooms which are outdated, unproductive and unremunerative.

They are victims of the changed times and the current development model which has no place for poor artisans, marginal farmers and small businessmen in retail sector.

Their craft and looms have lost relevance and no amount of assistance from the government to keep them going would be of help.

The only way is to rehabilitate them by imparting training in other areas and getting them employed gainfully. It needs humanitarian outlook and a sympathetic understanding of their plight and predicament.

Unless we find a way out from the misery in which they have been languishing for decades, dharnas or deekshas by any political party would be understood as mere skullduggery.