From now on, they will solve issues through talks and negotiation.
Hyderabad: Gone are the days of enmity and bitterness between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, thanks to the initiative taken by Chief Ministers of both the states—K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy—at their first official meeting in Hyderabad on Friday. From now on, they will say goodbye to all litigation before tribunals and courts and solve issues through talks and negotiation.
In this two-day meeting, the CMs have resolved to bury the hatchet and open a new era of friendship between both the Telugu speaking states which were part of a combined Andhra Pradesh till 1 June 2014. “For us, there is no feeling of having two different states of Telangana and Andhra,” said KCR while Jagan, sitting next to him, nodded his head in agreement.
The CMs, along with their official delegations, sat together to resolve all outstanding issues pertaining to bifurcation of the states in a marathon session at Pragati Bhavan, official residence of KCR. At least half a dozen ministers from each state were present along with a galaxy of secretaries, officials, top engineers and experts. Chief Secretaries S.K. Joshi (Telangana) and L.V. Subramanyam (Andhra) led their officials.
This process of negotiations between the two states has been in tune with KCR’s concept of federal front which he brought to the fore before the recent Lok Sabha elections. As per the concept, the states can and shall sit together and resolve all their outstanding issues, obviating the interference or mediation of the Centre, courts and tribunals.
However, KCR had a problem of implementing his principal in sorting out the pending issues with AP as he never enjoyed cordial ties with then CM Chandrababu Naidu for the last five years. The basic reason for their bitterness was Naidu trying to strengthen his TDP in Telangana, thus posing a threat to KCR’s TRS. Jagan, on the other hand, allowed his YSR Congress melt away into TRS in Telangana. KCR predicted a Jagan victory even in 2014 elections, but Naidu’s TDP in alliance with BJP came to power at the time. The relations between KCR and Naidu turned worse after the latter’s TDP tried to defeat TRS in 2015 MLC elections by bribing a Nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson, thus leading to registering of a case, famous as cash-for-vote scam.
Telangana’s anti-corruption bureau which booked the case mentioned Naidu as an accused while the main accused then TDP MLA A. Revanth Reddy subsequently joined Congress and now became an MP from Malkajgiri. Stephenson who helped trap TDP leaders in the case has been re-nominated as MLA under Anglo-Indian quota in January 2019. The case is still pending with Telangana police. The bitterness between them reached a peak as the latter joined with Congress and formed a Maha Kutami (grand alliance) against TRD in the December 7, 2018 assembly elections in Telangana. However, Naidu could not succeed and KCR came back to power as CM. In this election, Jagan’s followers silently backed KCR.
Jagan’s thumping victory in Andhra assembly elections in April had obviously made KCR happy and opened a new chapter for them. KCR had not only attended the swearing in ceremony of Jagan as CM on 30 May, but also declared that they meet frequently to solve all thorny issues, a legacy of Naidu era.
At Friday’s meeting, the CMs have identified five major issues to be resolved. They are: Sharing of waters of Krishna and Godavari rivers, division of the institutions common to both the states, transfer of employees, trapped in different state, distribution of the common funds and sharing the assets of AP Bhavan in Delhi, among others.
The foremost area of cooperation identified at the first meeting of the CMs is diversion of waters of River Godavari and Krishna to irrigate each acre of parched lands in both the states. KCR made a presentation on the availability of waters in both the major perennial rivers and assured Jagan that he would extend all help to Andhra in this regard. Jagan thanked him.
The CMs have decided to set up a joint mechanism whereby teams of engineers and experts from both the sides would prepare a report by July 15 on the utilization of river waters and the same would be discussed at their next meeting. Diversion of Godavari waters to Krishna River is the main priority of the engineers and experts.
Telangana health minister Etela Rajender and Andhra finance minister Buggana Rajendranath who briefed media later said, “We are sure, there will be many more meetings at the highest level and we are committed to resolve all issues,” declared Rajender and Rajendranath.
Though it is not officially specified, KCR is likely to extend this initiative and invite other neighboring CMs of Maharashtra and Karnataka and if possible Orissa to solve inter-state issues.
KCR is understood to have remarked that he could complete the Rs 80,000 crore Kaleswaram irrigation project only with the help of Maharashtra CM Fadnavis who agreed to give around 2,000 acres of land for the reservoir.