Ahead of the All Party meeting on Telangana, Lok Sabha passing the Constitution Amendment Bill that gives special status to Hyderabad Karnataka, points towards the probability that some demographic changes are in store.
Though the Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha much earlier, it was passed rather hurriedly, yesterday giving scope to demographic realignment. Though borders of the two states will not change, the Bill provides more facilities to the people of that people and it will be under the purview of the Governor.
To brush up memory, Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Yadgir and Bellari were part of erstwhile Hyderabad State and is called as Hyderabad Karnataka. Similarly the Marathwada region up to Aurangabad along with Telangana region formed the Hyderabad State ruled by Asaf Jahis-the Nizams.
The Karnataka Assembly and Council have adopted a resolution long back and sent to the Centre long back and the Bill was tabled in Lok Sabha on September 7.
With national Parties and regional parties, staking claim for power, having problems in taking a firm stand unlike the sub-regional TRS, it would be a litmus test to talk their mind out in the All Party meet, scheduled to be held in Delhi on December 28.
Congress, TDP, YSRCP are the strong contenders in the next general elections and no party is in a position displease any region and they either pay the blame game or sing the tune of all round development and erasing regional disparities.
The Bill was passed at a crucial junction which gives room and scope for further discussion and debate.
Many questions will now raise, should Hyderabad also get a special status, how should the river waters should be shared as both Godavari and Krishna originate in Maharashtra, flow through Karnataka and enter Telangana and get in Andhra before merging with Bay of Bengal.
The industrial development in and around the state capital has been enormous and to a certain extend Visakhapatnam also has some major industries. The question of international airport and other issues are certainly a point of discussion.
In such scenario, it remains to be seen what stand the political parties will take. Will they take refuge under the oft repeated balanced regional development or will they go beyond that.
Meanwhile, news in the air is that a political party with integrationist ideology is in the offing but how serious it is no one knows but it is providing a plank to spoil the party of many others, should it be a reality.
The hidden message behind passing the Bill to accord special status to Hyderabad Karnataka is something to worry about as it affects both separatists and integrationists as well.