Fed up with KCR, Telangana activists to form anti-TRS party

A split is on the cards among those spearheading the movement for a separate Telangana. Consultations are on for the formation of a new party opposed to the Telangana Rastriya Samithi, which is being blamed for the movement fizzling out again. Vicky Nanjappa reports.

A clear split over the Telangana movement is on the cards. A new political party is all set to be formed and this party would be in a direct battle with the Telangana Rastriya Samithi, which, according to many, is using the Telangana issue to further its own political cause.

Popular folk balladeer and prominent Telangana activist Gaddar has revealed that the consultation process for the new party has already begun, which is expected to be launched in the next four to five months.

Meanwhile, pro-Telangana protests, which were so aggressive all these days, have become subdued now and most of the people in the region including the students have started to blame TRS chief K Chandrasekara Rao for the movement fizzling out again.

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Telangana activists on Tuesday put out black flags to protest the foundation day celebrations in Andhra Pradesh.

Gaddar also pointed out that during the last protest they had intentionally led the political parties, such as the TRS, lead the movement. "However, instead of taking the movement forward they have only put it back ten steps. It is time to have a brand new leadership which is serious about the movement and will not compromise on the issue in order to further their own political interests," he added.

Dr Sangam Prithviraj, leader of the Telangana Students Joint Action Committee, who supports Gaddar in forming the new political force, also blamed KCR entirely for the movement fizzling out. "KCR kept the students out of the agitation this time and this was an intentional ploy to ensure that the new state is not formed," he said.

Gaddar added by saying that a new political force would address the issue seriously and they would not have any political agenda. "I will not contest elections, but will have workers to do so. We will involve the likes of Anna Hazare in the consultation process and once this is complete, a new political force will be launched," he said.

The anti-KCR faction says that this time around they should have had a new state and it was the TRS chief who scuttled it.

"The core committee of the Congress was meeting on a daily basis in New Delhi to discuss the issue and we were all hopeful that a decision on Telangana would be taken soon. It was at this time that KCR decided to go to New Delhi despite no one calling or sending him. He was worried that Telangana may be formed and he would be left with no issue. We firmly believe that he has scuttled the formation of the state this time," Dr Prithviraj added.

"Most students also believe that KCR is using the Telangana issue and his target is the 2014 elections. He will not allow the state to be formed until then and hence none of the people of Telangana can expect a solution," he added.