The Congress department of leaks

 

The following article was written for Niti Central. Pasting it here for reference:

In the past two to three weeks, the ‘leaks’ department of the Congress has been very busy leaking their decision on the splitting up of Andhra Pradesh. Following is a brief summary of the various decisions that have been leaked so far to the media (in the order of their leaking):

Splitting up of the State:

» Sonia Gandhi has made up her mind. Telangana will be formed. This way Congress hopes to win at least fifteen to seventeen Lok Sabha seats from Telangana. Genius move from Congress.

» Rayala-Telangana will be formed. Two districts of Rayalaseema will be merged into Telangana. The reason being that the number of Lok Sabha seats in the State will be split equally then.

» Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has tendered his resignation to Sonia Gandhi. He says he cannot be part of the decision to split the State.

» Rayala-Telangana idea is put on the backburner. There are no takers for this idea.

» Ghulam Nabi Azad is still trying to convince leaders about Rayala-Telangana.

» Ghulam Nabi Azad denies talking to anyone about Rayala-Telangana.

» Sonia Gandhi has been told that IB has warned of violence in Seemandhra.

» Deputy Chief Minister tells Telangana leaders that “We may have no choice but to accept Rayala Telangana.”

Capital cities of the new States:

» Hyderabad will be common capital for 10 years.

» Hyderabad will be common capital for 5 years.

» Hyderabad will be made a Union Territory — law and order to come under Delhi Government.

When will decision be announced?

» Before Parliament’s Monsoon Session begins (on August 5).

» On August 3.

» Once UPA co-ordination committee and CWC take a stance.

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Meanwhile, here’s what is actually happening in Andhra Pradesh:

» 19 Ministers of the Cabinet have resolved to resign if necessary — they have openly opposed the splitting up of the State.

» Union Cabinet Ministers from Seemandhra have met the Prime Minister twice to impress upon him the need to keep Andhra Pradesh united.

» Despite trying badly, none of these public representatives could get an appointment with Sonia Gandhi. Perhaps her highness is busy drawing up a roadmap?

» AP CM yet to refute reports of his resignation, giving credence to those leaks!

» Protests and rallies have increased in Seemandhra region. Universities, colleges and schools were closed for a day. There is no sign of any of the citizenry going back on their protests.

» Raging uncertainity on how the split will be handled:

» If the State is split, common capital is the only alternative. How will space in Hyderabad be divided so that two large Governments can work simultaneously?

» If, as leaked earlier, the process involves getting the approval of AP Assembly, what happens if it doesn’t approve? Will Sonia Gandhi still go ahead and split the State?

» It has not yet been leaked what the capital of the other State will be – people in AP are waiting with bated breath for Congress to leak that information too!

» What is the plan to share water resources?

» What is the plan to share other resources?

These and many other such questions are bothering the people of Andhra Pradesh. As indicated earlier, the Chief Minister has apparently (or allegedly!) refused to be a part of this decision. So what is Sonia Gandhi’s plan to counter all this?

The State has been burning for the past four years. Sonia Gandhi has never made an attempt to communicate with the people of Andhra Pradesh. Forget the people, we are not even aware of any attempts she may have made to talk to her own party leaders from the State. Her own party is split vertically on this issue. Yet we are subjected to this daily harangue of leaks that give us multiple options on what is going through her mind. The leaks have covered all basic eventualities. The simple question to be asked now is – is this how democracy is supposed to work? Through leaks?