Countdown begins for formation of Telangana

At the stroke of midnight on Sunday night in Hyderabad, the song Jaya Jaya He Telangana will play as festivities would commence to welcome the 29th state of India.

A 60-year old emotional struggle has finally paid dividends for the people of Telangana. The most unique and touching feature of the struggle has been ‘people here have not taken others lives to attain their goal. They have taken their own lives for it.’

K Chandrasekara Rao, the Telangana Rastriya Samithi founder and chief minister-in-waiting is all set for the challenge. After being sworn in at 8.15 am, he would start work after a parade at 10.45 am on June 2. The first file he will clear will be pertaining to the Telangana logo. This has been given preference over the file pertaining to compensation of the Telangana martyrs, as he wants all the documents cleared to bear the logo of the new state.

KCR is expected to be sworn in with 12 cabinet ministers. He would add another five in the days to come. He proposes to have another major event in a fortnight. He wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Telangana and inaugurate the state. This is being viewed as a major public relations exercise. Although the Bharatiya Janata Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi fought against each other in the elections the latter feels it is very important being in the Centre’s good books.

With Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party using his alliance to get special status for Seemandhra and a host of other sops, KCR feels even Telangana requires support of the Centre. He would submit a wishlist to Modi when he visits Telangana. 

While people usher in the joy of a new state, they have also been told that the road ahead would be a tough one. There is a lot of work required in the rural sector of the state.

Security in Hyderabad has been beefed up for the event on June 2. BJP leader and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu has appealed to the people of both regions to cast aside differences and live as one.

Image: Telangana supporters dance to celebrate after the lower house passed a proposal to split Andhra Pradesh and create the new state of Telangana, in Hyderabad. Photographer: Stringer/Reuters