KCR-baiters look to Kodanda

Anti-govt forces seek to rally behind t-jac leader

Hyderabad: The years of struggle and achieving statehood that was spearheaded by the K Chandrashekar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has become part of Telangana folklore. Playing a pivotal role towards taking the movement to the masses was the Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising likeminded people from across all sections, including social, political, teachers, employees, students and myriad unsung heroes.

Today, closed-door murmurs have developed into rumblings and the same may turn into a bad omen for the Chief Minister, whose quest for Bangaru Telangana is gradually hitting a road-block. Going by the available trends and the gathering storm it becomes crystal clear that the undeclared but silent revolution in the form of ‘Operation anti-TRS’ is gathering steam.

“The development model adopted by the TRS government is a replication of the earlier ones used by TDP and the Congress. There is a mismatch between the model of development adopted and the aspirations of the people. This model has spelt doom for both parties,” opines Prof Haragopal.

With this kind of opinion among the Telangana intelligentsia, there appears to be a move to form a broad-based platform for that ‘wake-up’ call to Rao. In contrast, there are leaders who are radical and vocal in their observations. “This is not the Telangana that we had fought for. We are all coming to a common platform for a people’s struggle. We welcome Prof Kodandaram to take active part for peoples’ cause,” says Vimalakka, newly-elected president of Telangana United Front,” she told The Hans India.

The TUF developments indicate that there appears to be a convergence of like-minded outfits to bring all anti-government forces on to a common platform. Prof Kodandaram recently attended a meeting organised by the TUF where the agenda was to discuss whether Chandrashekar Rao’s government was pro-poor or pro-corporate. It is being interpreted by political pundits that the Professor may soon take the mantle to lead the yet-to-be-formed dispensation.

But when contacted, Prof Kodandaram sounded cautious. “We need to expedite development process, which has to be on a continuous basis,” says Prof Kodandaram. “TRS has completely taken a U-turn from the ideals which it stood from 2001 to 2014,” says N Venugopal, political analyst.

Prof Haragopal is bang on target when he says, “The government has no alternative vision. It is looking for foreign capital and pharma industries with little focus on agriculture intensive. Even the education policy is going the global way.” “We like to act like a pressure group on the government to protect people’s rights. Agitations must continue to bring pressure on government and Professor Kodandaram ought to lead from the front,” says Sandhya of Progressive Organisation of Women.

“We want a Samajika Telangana not a Bangaru Telangana. We have asked Prof Kodandaram to support our cause,” affirms Chada Venkata Reddy, Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary. Apart from the people’s organizations, the political parties who strongly oppose Telangana Chief Minister are also openly inviting the political JAC chairman so that they could launch fierce attack.

Congress has lost its leadership capacity to address the issues, TDP has failed to emerge as a force in Telangana and BJP has minimal presence. In this context, JAC is the natural force to fill this vacuum. Prof Kodandaram is the most credible person. If he takes up the challenge, it would be a boon for all sections of the people, including the youth and women.

Despite the orchestrated chorus, Prof Kodandaram is keeping his cards close to his chest. The writing is certainly not on the wall but the TRS leadership would do well if it can read between the lines and strategise a pro-people plan accordingly.