Lok Sabha clears Telangana Bill, Congress game plan succeeds

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha passed the Telangana Bill on Monday without live telecast and the latter fact added another controversy to an already controversial gestation period for what would be India’s 29th state.

But criticism over the manner in which the Bill was passed — the Lok Sabha passed the Bill by voice vote — hasn’t affected the main actor in this drama, Congress.

It hopes to make two major gains from the Telangana Bill, assuming the Rajya Sabha passes it in the three working days left for the last Parliament session before elections. First, the Congress gets an election plank in Telangana.

Second, it gets an upper hand in its negotiations with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) for apre-poll alliance or merger. Congress leaders who did not wish to be named say even the imminent resignation of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Reddy will work to the party’s advantage.

“If Reddy forms another party and it eats into anti-Telangana votes going for YSR Congress and TDP, then we can think of a post-poll reunion with Reddy,” a senior Congress leader said.

Congress rivals expect as much. YSR Congress leader Mysoora Reddy told ET his party expects Kiran Reddy and Congress to get back again. “Why did Reddy complete all constitutional obligations before quitting”, he said. Andhra Pradesh, with 42 Lok Sabha seats, had been key in Congress-led UPA victories in 2004 and 2009. After YSR Reddy’s death, his son Jagan’s break-up with Congress and the revival of Telangana agitation by TRS, Congress faced the danger of losing its biggest base in the South.

“That’s why Telangana is so crucial to us,” another Congress leader said. The party now hopes to give a good fight in the 17 Andhra seats that falls in Telangana. The Seemandhra region, with 25 seats, is likely to see a fight between YSR Congress, TDP-BJP alliance and a possible new party floated by Congress rebels.

BJP, which voted for the bill, criticised Congress for the telecast blackout and the manner in which the House was conducted. But this criticism came outside the House. Lok Sabha Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj tweeted, asking whether the telecast blackout was “tactical” or “technical”.

Swaraj also said, “I know Congress people will go out and say Telangana is a gift from the Congress and Sonia Amma. But people of Telangana should also remember support from this chinna amma (younger mother) and BJP.”