Telangana is going to be a reality in June 2014 and with it, India will get its 29th state. The division of Andhra Pradesh had inflamed passions across the state with massive protests for the new state in Telangana with the remaining part (Seemandhra) witnessing demonstrations against the split. K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which spearheaded the movement for the new state, is hoping to reap the benefits and believes it can not only win the maximum Lok Sabha seats but also form the first government in the new state. In an exclusive interview to IBNLive, TRS leader Konda Vishweshwar Reddy says that while the party's agenda till now was fighting for a separate state, now the focus will be on providing good governance.
Vishweshwar Reddy, who is likely to contest Lok Sabha elections from Chevella seat, accused the Congress of betraying the cause of Telangana and said that there is a possibility of the TRS supporting the BJP-led NDA. Below is the full transcript of the interview:
IBNLive: Sir, you have an engineering background and have worked in some of the top companies and even abroad. What is the reason behind joining politics?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: As an engineer primarily involved in design and innovation, I have several copyrights. I had the opportunity to work in major companies in India and abroad including as the CEO of a Wipro group company and CEO of a General Electric company (GEMSIT) in India. Achieving a reasonable level of professional and financial satisfaction, I started playing a more proactive role in social sector and became involved in various activities. I was also the founder trusty of The Hyderabad 10k Run Foundation. I was involved in Progressive Telangana and JKMR Foundation doing various social activities.
In the backdrop of this, Telangana agitation peaked, and I was sensitised to the rural youth and their Feelings. Educated rural youth dousing themselves with petrol and setting themselves on fire - and they truly believed in the cause - the cause for a separate Telangana! We started researching whether there was a need for separate Telangana found some valid reasons, not only at their personal level but also from the state and national economy level. Smaller states were better governed, and have better social and financial parameters like GDP, GDP growth rate, per-capita income etc. The social parameters like male to female ratio and various other showed improvement in smaller states. This made us believe in the cause for a separate Telangana. Subsequently, we joined the Joint Action Committee's in the agitation for separate Telangana.
When TRS party chief asked me to join them and explained the need for a political movement which goes side by side with the agitations on the streets. I joined politics for the purpose of achieving a separate state of Telangana and to that extent I think we have secured a victory. We have a state of separate Telangana.
IBNLive: Why did you chose TRS? Why not any other party like Congress or BJP?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: Like I said, I joined politics with the main purpose of achieving a separate state of Telangana, and TRS party was the only party which was consistent in their stand on a separate Telangana. Every other party except CPI was dilly-dallying on the issue, misguiding the public- both the Andhra and Telangana people. This left me with no other option but the TRS.
IBNLive: Congress got the Telangana bill passed in Parliament after a lot of protests in united Andhra. In Seemandhra there were massive anti-Telangana protests. There is a lot of apprehension that people from Seemandhra and other states may be targeted. How will you ensure that after the formal creation of the state, the two regions maintain a harmonious relationship?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: Hyderabad and Telangana always had a multicultural and tolerant society. In fact the local culture is called Ganga-Jamuna tehjeeb. We always welcome others, whether they are Punjabis, Gujaratis, Tamilians, Bengalis - people from all over India are living in Telangana and Hyderabad.
Even the language here is influenced by multiple languages. Telugu is influenced by Urdu, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, etc. We by nature are very tolerant and I do not see why especially Seemandhra people need to be scared. It is only those Seemandhra industrialists, who get illegal properties here with the connivance of the Andhra dominated government here need to be worried.
I do not think the common people of Seemandhra are afraid of living in Telangana or Hyderabad. Most of the anti-partition protests were not people-driven, they were leader-driven protests in Seemandhra. Burning of statues and effigies of Sonia Gandh was done by the leaders. This was not a common man's protest in Seemandhra. Lastly, there will be no fences between us and we will be as good neighbors as we are good neighbors with Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
IBNLive: Do you feel that Congress played politics by creating Telangana at the last moment?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: Politics is the game of political parties. There is no doubt about it. Did Congress play some tricks or games in achieving Telangana? Did every other party not play? I think every other party played - BJP or TDP. TDP gave a letter saying they are for Telangana and when Telangana was announced, they protested.
BJP is dilly-dallying with it. If there is anyone who was consistent on the stands on the Telangana issue it was TRS. Yes, Congress could have given Telangana much before but they delayed it till the last moment till the elections. I do not find fault with Congress particularly for playing games; every other parties played games and Congress is a political party. They will see the appropriate time for their political benefit.
IBNLive: TRS has refused to merge or have an alliance with the Congress. Why did the TRS decide so?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: The TRS was willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of Telangana, to be precise Sampoorna Telangana (Complete Telangana). Yes, TRS did give an offer 10 years ago and offer was reiterated multiple times that If Congress gives Telangana, we are willing to have an alliance but 10 years have passed and more than 1000 deaths have happened.
After that, just before the elections for their own electoral gains, can we reverse the sacrifices and deaths? What did we really ask for? We asked for Sampoorna Telangana, not a handicapped Telangana, not a Telangana without slums. The Telangana that Congress gave now is definitely not the Sampoorna Telangana. The law and order is not in hands of state government.
The High Court is a joint High Court, parts of Telangana districts with more than a lakh of people are going to be submerged under the Polavaram dam. For the benefits to Andhra people, our tribals were submerged here. Several mandals, regions of districts of Khammam district were halved off to Andhra state. This is not the Telangana we asked for. Had they given Telangana on a timely manner and had they given Telangana that we asked for, we would have an alliance or merger with Congress. They have not given the Telangana we have asked, there is a still little bit fight ahead. I am sure we will win that also. Similarly the Andhra dominated High Court, is still one high court as of now. After all these are solved, in due time we may be open.
IBNLive: In the 2004 TRS allied with Congress and won 24 assembly and 5 Lok Sabha seats. In 2009 TRS allied with TDP and the Left Front but won only 10 assembly and 2 Lok Sabha seats. Is the TRS not wrong in not allying with Congress now?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: TRS is cause-based party. The cause is separate Telangana and we allied with Congress in the past because Congress promised to give Telangana. We were cheated and betrayed. We allied with TDP in the past because TDP also agreed to fight side by side for separate Telangana. We were betrayed again.
We are still for the cause of Sampoorna Telangana, a Telangana with huge share of water and jobs, control over law and order its own separate High Court and its full regional boundaries intact. This is not the Telangana we wanted. There is no reason to align with this party because we get few additional seats by a combination of electoral alliance. We will probably evolve into a true political party focusing on winnability in the seats after the formation of Telangana, but until we achieve Telangana that we want, we will be a cause and revolution based party. We call ourselves or as others call us - Udyama Party that is a revolution based party not a political party. Our decisions are based on a cause, not only on winnability of the seats we win.
IBNLive: Will your party support Congress after elections at the Centre in lieu of support in Telangana for government formation?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: In the current situation the chances of alliance with Congress are very bleak; secondly the chances of Congress forming the government at Centre also seems to be bleak going by all the reports of opinion poll and media reports. So the question about us giving support to Congress in lieu of support here does not arise at all. It is a very, very unlikely thing.
IBNLive: The BJP is also in favour of smaller states. Is there any chance that TRS will join the NDA?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: There is a chance and there is a possibility. Of course nothing is impossible in politics. TRS supporting NDA, it's a possibility, it's not ruled out.
IBNLive: You come from a very illustrious family. Your grandfather was the Former Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and very big leader of Telangana. Will it give you an edge over your rivals?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: My grandfather KV Ranga Reddy was a freedom fighter and he was a member of Nizams Legislative Assembly before the freedom of our country and of Hyderabad's state while being in Nizams Legislative Assembly. He fought for Independence and Hyderabad joining the union of India. After Hyderabad Telangana state was formed, he was a Chief Minister and he protested against the forced merger of Hyderabad Telangana. During the merger with Andhra, he tried to protect the Telangana people from the majority of Andhra people who controlled the assembly after the merger in the state of Andhra Pradesh. When he saw the Telangana people being discriminated, he was one of the first leaders to fight for separate Telangana. I also stand for the very exact same values. Therefore I thank my grandfather for giving me an advantage because of I have taken the very same stands.
IBNLive: Are you not propagating dynasty politics?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: My grandfather is a freedom fighter and he was in the Niazms legislative assembly. While he was in the assembly, he still fought for the freedom of India. Subsequently he became a Deputy Chief Minister and he fought against the forcible merger with Andhra state and then after the merger he fought for separate Telangana during his entire political career.
He had 7 sons and 4 daughters and he never encouraged them into politics and his famous quote to his family members was: "During my time it was very important to be in politics and fight for freedom but in your generation is important to develop the country and if you want to do great social services to your nation become teachers, lawyers, doctors, professors but do not enter politics".
So my father, his brothers, sisters all of them became lawyers, teachers, doctors, and professors. Nobody entered into politics. In fact, he wanted to me became an engineer and named me Vishweshwar after the great engineer Vishweshwaraiah and because he felt in my generations specifically engineers will be involved in the development of the country. I have no interest in politics and my prior generation was not in politics but after having worked as a engineer, becoming a successful engineer professionally and financially, I started social work and then this Telangana agitation happened. I saw students fall like flies, suicides and self-immolations and I could not but be moved by the fight of the Telangana youth that is the only reason I entered only the agitation, not in politics. I entered the Telangana agitation with JAC's the Million Marches, the rail roko, rasta roko so on so forth and it was than when KCR invited me into TRS party or politics I told I am not interested and I am not suitable.
Then I was convinced that to achieve the goal of separate Telangana, politics and agitations have to work side by side to achieve the goal and I was convinced and that is the reason I entered politics. I don't think I entered politics because of my grandfather was so and so. If that the case my father's brother could have be in politics. I could have been in politics when younger. Instead I am an innovator and a scientist and I worked as an adjunct faculty member and I headed a General Electric group company and a Wipro group company. So politics is not a dynasty for me. It was something I thought for a qualified person, who can steer the needs of the people in the right direction without having to make money for political gains. I don't think I am propagating dynasty politics at all.
IBNLive: If elected, what will be your agenda in Parliament for Telangana?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: My agenda will be similarly focused on development. If I were an MP I will bring about development of Telangana and my region in multiple ways. Firstly there are several Central government schemes that are underutilised in AP in general, particularly in Telangana. I will make sure these schemes reach the people. One is through my influence as a MP in this Central government I will ensure the schemes reach the people than I will bring about awareness of the schemes among my people starting from my district and then rest of Telangana. Secondly I will ensure that every last penny allocated to me by the MPLADs fund every year for next 5 years is utilised.
Thirdly we will declare an Information Technology investment region (ITIR). I will make sure this happens and I will make sure the benefits reach the people whether it is the job or business opportunity. Funds required for humongous project called ITIR which will be mostly around Hyderabad, investments are likely around 2 lakh crore. A significant portion will come from private sectors and MNCs which have promised to come. But the necessary infrastructure has to be funded by state and Central governments and I will work for influencing the Central government to allocate the required funds.
Lastly several projects and policies which are irrational in the current Telangana primarily implemented and initiated by the previous Andhra government, so there are projects which are totally irrational, huge irrigation projects which are irrational. I want to ensure these are modified and made rational. Similarly the loss which are totally irrational and have something to do with agriculture product, I will work to make this rational and it will be win-win both for the government, the environment and for the public.
IBNLive: How will the TRS tackle Naxals who have become such a big threat?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: Firstly TRS is among the first political party to recognise Naxalism not a law and order problem but as a social issue. Naxalism is being dealt with police force, it has to be dealt by understanding the issue whether the empowerment of the separate classes or whether it is diverting the funds were they are most required. Nobody understands the Naxals problem. There are several people with Left ideology who have joined the party. While some of the extremist Leftists feel they are fighting for people oriented issues, it's finally translated into a Telangana movement and Telangana issue. So a lot of these people who were actually fighting for the people began fighting for Telangana issue.
Naxalism is not a problem of Telangana only. Naxalism was actually born in much larger states like West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and in Andhra Pradesh. Naxalism is currently very, very negligible just like in states like Kerala, Pondicherry and Goa.
We believe that we can tackle the problem much more humanely and in state of Telangana first of all it is not a problem. Should this problem be exported and pushed into Telangana by the neighboring states, we do know how to tackle them socially.
IBNLive: Telangana has just Hyderabad as the big city and major industrial belt? How does TRS plan to ensure development in other part?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: Telangana without Hyderabad also is one of the major revenue contributors in the combined state of AP. Currently the city of Hyderabad was artificially expanded from 172 sq km to 6000 sq km encompassing the neighbouring districts as well. So when we talk about Hyderabad we need to clarify which Hyderabad you're talking the original Hyderabad or the artificially inflated, bloated Hyderabad which covers 6000 sq km and 4 districts.
Telangana always had the track record of generating revenues and paying taxes and whole of Telangana is self-sufficient. It will have surplus budget starting from day 1 after formation of separate state.
Now as far as development of rural Telangana and city of Hyderabad, we have great plans for both. But immediately I think there is the issue of satellite townships declared at Vikarabad which is about 90 km from Hyderabad, but we are going top develop multiple satellites cities all round in 100 km radius of Hyderabad. Fifty per cent of Telangana state and these satellite cities are going to be connected through outer ring road and effective railway system. This is the part of the manifesto which is going to be released.
And other than the urbanisation or spread of urbanisation into the rural areas which will take away the traffic jams, TRS party also recognize the needs of the farmers of Telangana and the traditional non-polluting and environmentally friendly systems. These are small and medium scale projects which were totally neglected in the previous Andhra Pradesh government.
TRS party is focusing on the minor irrigation system which is very relevant in Telangana right from the Kakatiya times. We are going to revise it. Also our focus is on the Pranahita Chevella project and all the projects where the water is given to the CWC.
Telangana is going to utilise the water which will directly impact rural Telangana and farmers. One more problem that TRS party recognises is the influx of rural youth into the city. There will be schemes which allow the rural youth to stay in the rural areas, develop their work there and earn without having to migrate to city and also get the exposure to the city into the satellite towns.
IBNLive: Is the TRS confident of emerging as the biggest party in Telangana as it had spearheaded the fight for the separate state?
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy: TRS definitely will be the single largest party and win the majority without the help of another party in the coming elections. I think all the opinion polls for the last five months are exactly showing the same thing. It's not just an opinion it's a reality that's going to happen.
IBNLive: Thanks for speaking to us.
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