The crushing defeat of the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the by-elections in Andhra Pradesh sends a clear message to the Centre that its present strategy on the Telangana issue is unsatisfactory and unacceptable to the voters of the region and unless there is a desirable change in policy, the Congress is likely to lose its stronghold. It is no consolation for the party that the Telangana Rashtra Samiti candidates have only retained the seats they won in May 2009. The TDP and the Congress candidates forfeited their security deposits in a majority of the constituencies. The sweeping victory of the TRS is a shot in the arm for the agitators demanding a separate Telangana.
V.K. Sathyavan,
Kottayam
The Hindu has proved once again its national outlook through its editorial (July 31), wherein it has emphasised that political parties must take a reasoned, long-term view of the complex Telangana issue instead of seeking to tap parochial sentiments. As parochialism is deep-rooted than broad-mindedness in a majority of humanity, sermons and preaching may not yield result.
As all of us know, the crux of the Telangana issue is Hyderabad. Both the integrationists and the separatists have no option but to sacrifice Hyderabad, if at all an amicable solution is to be found. All right-thinking persons can foresee the same outcome in Justice Srikrishna' report, which would be based on a broad consensus after due deliberations.
V.Bhimeswara Rao,
Secunderabad
The drubbing the traditional parties got at the hands of the TRS candidates was expected. As rightly said in your editorial, the TRS should not take this success for granted and assume that the Congress government may take the victory seriously to pass a resolution in Parliament in favour of Telangana. Only the people of 12 constituencies have given the verdict that they were vexed with the traditional parties they voted before. The TRS should now try and address the problems faced by the common people such as roads, water and sewerage immediately. The situation in Andhra Pradesh is still under a cloud as news of mid-term elections are doing the rounds.
K.B. Murthy,
Hyderabad
True, people's mandate in the recent by-election reveals the strong sentiment of the Telangana region. But will they think about the sentiments of those who were united with them for decades?
B. Anil Kumar,
Srikakulam
The view that too much should not be read from the outcome of the Telangana by-elections is rather controversial as the people's sentiment is for the Telangana statehood for emotional and sympathetic reasons. It may be recalled that Indira Gandhi did not read too much in the outcome of the elections in which the Telangana Praja Samiti led by Marri Chenna Reddy bagged majority seats. She refused to divide the State for the sake of Telangana. But it is a million dollar question whether Sonia Gandhi will follow the path of her mother-in-law.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda
The mandate given by the electorate is clear. It is a message to the Srikrishna Commission also. It is a good lesson to the TDP and the Congress that they can no longer play games.
K. Vinaya Kumar,
Secunderabad
