2 States: Telangana Takes Shape As AP Watches

2 States: Telangana Takes Shape As AP Watches


The movement for the establishment of Telangana was ongoing for several decades and the 29th state of India was finally born at the stroke of June 1-2 midnight. Residuary Andhra Pradesh has lost Hyderabad, the software city to Telangana. While the atmosphere in Telangan was festive as the 29th Indian state came into being, the mood was sombre on the other side of the divide. People in AP looked on with silence but a determination to forge ahead following the change.

Telangana donned the colour of the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti and Hyderabad, the capital city turned pink. TDP's Chandrababu Naidu is set to take charge on June 8 following the swearing-in ceremony and E. S. L. Narasimhan will be the governor for both states.

Those battling for the creation of this 29th state will be celebrating as well as hoping for the realisation of their aspirations through the actions of the new TRS government. The aim behind the Telangana movement was development for the region, incentives for farmers, employment for workers and the need for infrastructural facilities such as healthcare and housing.

Those in AP remain optimistic in the face of change. They have opted for a leadership that will hopefully rebuild the Seemandhra region in the coming months. The excitement of a new state coming into being was last witnessed when the NDA government spit UP to carve out Uttarakhand, MP for Chattisgarh and Bihar for Jharkhand in 2000. Interestingly, this time too, an NDA government is in power as a new state is born.

But unlike the creation of the earlier states, Telangana and AP will take some time to recover from the division as there are a vast number of issues such as assets and liabilities, irrigation, power and staff plus workers which have to be evenly divided between the 2 states. 60 year old political leader K.C. Rao took oath as the first CM of this state along with son K.T.Rama Rao and nephew T. Harish Rao. 9 other cabinet ministers were also sworn in taking the total number of ministers to 12. However, the oath taking ceremony was not attended by Chandrababu Naidu, the soon to be CM of AP indicating possible signs of discord between the 2 states.

Discord is nothing new when it comes to states and the fight for resources. India's inter-state disputes over river rights and water sharing are never ending. The battle for natural resources and access to power is also a contentious issue for many states. But these disputes should be peacefully resolved in the interests of the states as well as the nation. With heightened emotions on both sides as a new state is born, there is very little doubt that a lot of careful deliberations are needed for AP and Telangana to have bright futures independent of each other. Whether TRS chief KCR will be able to move forward and realise the aspirations of Telanganites is also a question that is going to be resolved soon. With a new state come new responsibilities and complications. The TRS government will face challenges in the coming months. The birth of a new state is achieved. Now it has to be nurtured.
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