telangana-elections

Updated: Dec 04, 2018 16:18 IST

The victory of the Maha Kootami or grand alliance of four political parties will help resolve issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the state from which Telangana was carved out in 2014, a spokesperson from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said.

The Maha Kootami is an alliance between four political parties, including TDP and the Indian National Congress, to challenge caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the upcoming assembly polls on December 7.

“KCR hopes to survive on promoting regional conflicts by projecting Andhra people as villains. We want to put an end to his drama in the current election by exposing his non-performance,” said D Manikya Vara Prasad, TDP spokesperson.

K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR)’s loss and Maha Kootami’s win will make way for a positive climate for better coordination between the two states to address bifurcation-related issues, Vara Prasad said.

TRS member of legislative council Pathuri Sudhakar Reddy said that in its four years, the KCR government has treated all Andhra settlers as part of Telangana without any discrimination.

Also Read: Telangana elections 2018: KCR is an apprentice of Sonia Gandhi, says PM Modi

“It’s only the TDP’s (Chandrababu) Naidu who is trying to gain mileage in the elections by projecting KCR as inimical to Andhra settlers,” he said.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Naidu left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance earlier this year, stating that the Centre has not fulfilled its promise of granting special status to the state after its bifurcation. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are currently locked in many disputes, including sharing resources like the Krishna and the Godavari river water, besides distribution of assets and institutions under the IX and X schedules of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA) 2014, which came into effect after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

There are 107 institutions (including state owned corporations) listed under schedule X and 91 listed under schedule IX. The Sheela Bhide committee, which was tasked with bifurcating assets under schedule IX, has submitted a report on only 77 till now. Both states have fought each other over bifurcation of institutions, such as the Andhra Pradesh Heavy Machinery and Engineering Limited, and the Andhra Pradesh State Council Higher Education.

Read More: Telangana assembly elections 2018: We neither believe in, nor practise communal politics: Cong on its poll manifesto

In the past, TRS, which spearheaded the separate statehood movement, had threatened to close educational institutions run by Andhra residents in Telangana, and stalled screening of movies made by the Andhra Pradesh film industry.

In 2010, Telangana Jagruti, an outfit headed by KCR’s daughter K. Kavitha, stalled the screening of NT Rama Rao Junior (the grandson of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister NT Rama Rao) film Adurs.

However, both TRS and TDP have not got into the nitty-gritty of distribution of assets under APRA in their poll campaigns.

“KCR is obviously not interested to demonstrate his largesse by making a case for AP vis-a-vis distribution of assets. (Chandrababu) Naidu cannot afford to raise issues pertained to his home state in Telangana as such utterances might hurt his Maha Kootami’s electoral interests,” political analyst K. Nageswar said.

Experts believe that the significant Andhra population in Telangana will decide the fortunes of political parties fighting the election in at least 20-25 assembly segments.

For full assembly elections coverage, click here.