High-stakes yatra

Hyderabad: TDP chief is out on a key mission of assuaging the ruffled feelings of the people who are increasingly getting restive in Seemandhra. Thirteen districts of the region have been on the boil for over a month over the issue of CWC’s bifurcation decision which fructified only after the TDP reiterated its 2008 commitment to separate Telangana State. His ‘Telugu Jati Atma Gourava Yatra’ has been prompted by ominous signals of TDP influence weaning away in Seemandhra.

Coming as it does at a time of TDP being hard put to revive its political fortunes, the raging public anger over bifurcation threatens to spoil the show for him unless he supports Samaikyandhra. Naidu wouldn’t just do that, but would rather try to turn the tables on YSRCP by pointing out its past support to Telangana State. At the same time, he would also try to defame Congress by showing its apathy to the concerns of Seemandhra people. Without harping on his stance on Telangana State, he would want to be seen as protecting the interests of Seemandhra.

A series of recent meetings with intellectuals and the media, and the feedback from the region seemed to have impelled Naidu to go to the rescue of the party in Seemandhra by convincing the people that he would protect their interests, come what may.

Thus, Naidu, who is torn between the two regions, finally finds himself at the cross roads.

He is unable to forego either region. He knows what he will miss if he chooses this over that. But many scientific studies say that one cannot be in love with two at once. He has often confessed that he is “no statesman” to choose between the two regions. He is a politician who had drafted the vision document for the development of the entire State and hence he is in no mood to make compromises on his stand.

As such, he can only be seen as one striving one’s best to save the party in both regions. He deserves appreciation for having embarked on yet another yatra after realizing that it is better to face things head-on than lie low. This two-eyed policy of Naidu angers Seemandra people no end, who demand that he take a clear-cut stance in their favour. That message is now loud and clear for him. They have not forgotten how he let them down while stating his party’s stance in favour of Telangana.

In such a situation, Naidu’s best ploy would be seen as trying to force the UPA government to put on fold the bifurcation process. That would at least assuage their feelings to some extent. He would not mind taunts about his T stance, but would try to deflect people’s anger upon Congress. At the same time, he would not want to be seen as remorseful for his actions that helped the UPA government decide in favour of Telangana State, lest his party should suffer in Telangana. A delicate balancing act and indeed a precarious one at that.

However, on the very day he embarked on the bus yatra in Guntur district, Naidu needed none but himself to queer things for himself. He proclaimed that he was the one who obstructed formation of Telangana during the NDA regime. Where would that leave his party men in Telangana? In the end, his two-eyed policy would blow over just as it happened in the case of YSRCP, contend his critics.