CPI(M): ‘Major parties should clarify stand on bifurcation’

Raghavulu decries ‘double standards’ of Congress, Telugu Desam Party

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded that the Seemandhra leaders of major political parties, including the Congress and the Telugu Desam, clarify their stand on whether they were opposed to bifurcation of the State or whether they had joined the ongoing agitation for redressal of problems that were anticipated after the division.

CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu warned the people against believing these parties that were, in principle, not against bifurcation of the State. “TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu has not opposed the division of the State. He is voicing concerns over the methodology that is followed,” he told the party’s State general body meeting here on Thursday.

Mr. Raghavulu wondered how the Congress and the TDP, adopted “double standards” on the Telangana issue with a section of their leaders supporting the Telangana cause here and another section championing the cause of united State in the other region.

“No single party can satisfy the sentiments of the two regions where there is equal intensity in agitations for and against separate Telangana. These leaders are deceiving the people by accepting bifurcation here and fighting for the status quo there (Seemandhra region),” he said.

The principle parties, the Congress and the BJP, had similar economic agenda and the support for bifurcation was aimed at carrying forward the agenda of multinational companies that were in favour of smaller States.

Unlike larger States that were strong, smaller States had to depend on the Central government’s mercy for allocation of funds and other requirements and this provided a fertile ground for the multinationals to exploit these regions.

He lamented that the CPI and other Left parties too joined the bandwagon to cash in on the sentiment irrespective of the fact that the Left movement for regional and religious causes had not succeeded anywhere.

The demand for resignation of elected representatives of the Seemandhra region in support of the united State was also “useless”.

“There is no scope for by-elections. These parties will get the scope for escaping from the debates in elected bodies if they are allowed to resign,” he said. The CPI (M) had decided to focus on the issues of immediate importance that took a backseat because of the ongoing agitation. The party would conduct awareness campaigns across the regions from August 25 to September 15.

CPI (M) State secretariat member Y.V. Rao presided over the meeting.