Even as the TRS and other Telangana forces are targeting the YSR Congress Party demanding that it spell out its stand on Telangana statehood, the YSRCP is keen on expanding its base in the region.
The party has decided to move forward with the argument that whatever it had to say on the issue of bifurcation of the state had already been stated by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at its plenary at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district last year. Jagan had said then that his party was not in a position to secure Telangana and nor had it the power to stop it. What he meant was that he had no objection to whatever decision the Centre would take on the issue.
After failing to achieve the expected result in the Parkal byelection, the TRS decided to target the YSRCP to prevent it from occupying a prime political space in the region. The pink party, which has virtually been lording over the region, has suddenly become jittery over the possibility of the YSR Congress Party expanding its base in he region at its cost. Moreover, leaders of the party, which claims to be the sole champion of Telangana pride and separatism, are under pressure from people because all their promises of forcing the Centre to deliver Telangana having fallen flat till now.
The TRS predicts that before the 2014 general election several changes might take place in the region that would help the YSRCP strengthen its base in the region. Several Congress leaders and a large number of Telangana activists are likely to join the YSRCP. As there is no other way left, the TRS has decided to play on people’s emotions. That is why it tried to obstruct Vijayamma’s visit to Sircilla on Monday. The party decided to continue this line of agitation to prevent YSR Congress from making further inroads into the region.
The Telangana leaders in the YSRCP seem to be very happy about Vijayamma’s Sricilla tour as it was a success. They claim that the Deeksha has sent clear indications that the party is no longer untouchable in the region. This will also send positive signals to people in the coastal and Rayalaseema regions that the YSRCP will ascend to power in 2014.
YSRCP’s Telangana leaders say that after three months they will step up their activities in the region and may even adopt an aggressive approach. “If the TRS does not mend its ways and stop preventing physically other parties from operating in Telangana, we too will exhibit the same attitude,” says a YSR Congress leader. Why did people turn up in thousands if they believed TRS’ propaganda that Vijayamma’s visit was only to dilute the Telangana spirit, he wonders. The fact is Telangana people want a separate state as well as development, he explains.
Party spokesman Gattu Ramachandra Rao told Express that YSRCP needed to activate its student and youth wings in Telangana.