After the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), it is now going to be the turn of Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) to harden its stance on the status of Hyderabad amidst lobbying by Andhra leaders to have some sort of “neutral control” over the city.
In a detailed note it proposes to submit to the Group of Ministers (GOM) before the deadline expires on Nov 5, the MIM is expected to categorically state its opposition to two proposals: 1) Hyderabad as joint capital for 10 years and; 2) UT status for the city or placing it under “central control” in any form on any subject including law and order.
According to sources, the Muslim party, which has significant political stakes in Hyderabad, intends to cite various examples including that of Chennai (when Andhra was separated) and Mumbai (when Gujarat State was formed) to buttress its argument that governance of Hyderabad, including law and order, should be only under the control of the Telangana government. “Imposing neutral control on any administrative subject, whether it is land, law and order or urban development, negates the very purpose of creating a separate state of Telangana,” an MIM leader, associated with drafting the party’s position, told Express. Likewise, the party is also of the view that Hyderabad should only be a “transit capital” for Andhra for a short period and not a joint capital for 10 years as proposed by the Union Cabinet. Transit capital arrangement will help hasten the process of building a new capital for the residuary state which would be in the interests of the people of Seemandhra.
According to the MIM, the concerns of people of Seemandhra, whether on the status of Hyderabad or any other matter, could be addressed in different ways without diluting the status of a Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital.
The party is also expected to focus on protecting the interests of minorities in both the States by demanding that all existing institutions and schemes be continued. The TRS has already made it clear any alliance or merger with the Congress would happen only if Telangana is given on a “clean basis”. Congressmen from Telangana are, however, dropping hints that they are more than willing to accommodate Seemandhra.