Next 100 days a testing time for Revanth govt

The just concluded budget session of Telangana Assembly has shown that the Congress party continues to be in an aggressive mood, perhaps, to keep the rank and file geared up for the Lok Sabha elections.

Though the opposition BRS tried to counter the charges levelled by the ruling party on issues like corruption and irregularities in irrigation projects, the defense was weak and the tone and tenor was more of political rhetoric than real analysis which could turn the tables on the government. Another drawback for the BRS was the absence of the Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao who did not attend the session even for a day.

This indicates that the BRS which has been in power for 10 years is still unable to digest its defeat and is not ready to be a constructive opposition. They are feeling very uncomfortable sitting in the opposition. When they were in power, they never acceded to the demands made by the opposition who were hardly given any time to speak, saying that time was decided based on the strength of the party in the Assembly. But now the BRS leaders like T Harish Rao seek two hours uninterrupted time to counter the ruling party’s charges in white paper on Irrigation.

Well, it’s time BRS indulges in some introspection. Did they ever give uninterrupted time to the opposition? Didn’t minister after minister intervene? “What we do is right what others do is wrong,” is not good politics. They should understand that BRS now has a major challenge in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. It first needs to protect its own flock. If it can put in all possible efforts and win at least 7 Lok Sabha seats, then it would mean that they are back on the revival path. But as of now there is no such indication. The Congress on the other hand has started operation poaching.

But then this does not mean the road for Congress is smooth. The government led by A Revanth Reddy has given an impression that the Kaleshwaram project has pushed the state into massive problems. It has made all possible efforts to prove that the pink party had committed irregularities. But now the question is what kind of probe are they going to hold. The government wanted a probe by sitting judge but the High Court refused and said they can allot a retired judge.

The government cannot keep the issue hanging in balance or else people will think that they only make noise without action. It should either convince the High Court to allot a sitting judge or agree to a probe by retired judge, and start the work. Another option is to order CBI probe. If the Congress delays a decision beyond a point say till the Lok Sabha elections are over, then clouds of instability on the Congress government would start gathering.

Already there are speculations that BRS wants to move closer to BJP. With the BJP set for its third term, once elections are over, it will certainly try to fish in the troubled waters in Telangana. Though the BJP denies these speculations, creating instability in the state is neither difficult nor new for the saffron party. BJP, BRS and AIMIM together have 54 MLAs in the Assembly. The BJP will play Rajneeti and if it pulls six MLAs out of Congress, the government would be in trouble. How long the Khichidi government will sustain is a different story. Does BJP want Khichidi to continue? Certainly no. Hence, next 100 days are going to be crucial for the new Congress government in the state.