New State

Vasu Reddy From Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

The inevitability of accepting the separation of Andhra Pradesh in to two states is a reality that the people of the state and the country has to accept and move on. For whatever the reasons the INC decided at this stage to split the state and the circumstances leading to the separation are all well documented and it is for those who are interested should dissect into the information. For now the state will be split into two and barring a miracle there is no reason to believe that Andhra Pradesh as it stands will be the same.

Along with every other scribe who is remotely covering the situation in AP for weeks leading to the politicians voting to separate the state, me too was watching the unfolding of the events in Delhi. Everyone knew that INC will declare the two states, and there was little doubt in the separation. Politicians and political parties do things for a specific reason, and division of AP is no more than a political power play for a government that is certainly going to loose control in months, as the next general elections are just about 2 months away. The dialogues on we said we will separate the state in 2009 or before as just that, as the deliberations never did happen, as to the pros and cons in the many years since the INC says it has assured the separation.

Now that the inevitability has set in, its time to reflect on what next for the new state as there is no capital city identified, and no infrastructure that is defined for the newly created Andhra Pradesh. We only a bunch of congressmen who have no clout within their own party (definitely have no say so in functioning of the party no with resource allocations) and we are certainly going to get a party in power in the new state that is 100% anti INC. So, whatever will happen in the next couple of months will certainly not be in concert with the politicians of the new Andhra Pradesh as none is in the good books of the government in the center to represent the interests of the people of the new state. The plight of the people is really like Cinderella and her step mom. No matter how hard you work or how hard you try, you are still going to get the stick.

Considering that the central government will have to eventually provide the resources to build the new state with new infrastructure and new capital in years to come (they are saying at least 10) the opportunity for the new Andhra Pradesh is enormous to develop its own and world-class capital and state from scratch. This has to be paid for by the center as a part of the reorganization of the state, and either INC or anyone else in power the resources have to be allocated to the new state. The infrastructure and water and resource sharing are not a single state or party issue, and are national issues and irrespective of which party is in power in the center, they will have to be allocated and made available. Andhra Pradesh doesn't have to worry about the government in power at the center, rather it has to worry about the appropriation of resources to the proper channels and definitely use them to build the new state.

While there is no changing the attitude of INC towards the new state, the opportunity to build a first class capital and world class infrastructure is purely in the hands of the new state and its administrators. Far too much can be made on the divisive politics of INC, but now that it is done it time to focus on the generations of people who can look forward to a global posturing of the new state and the opportunity to build and develop a fantastic new state, along with a gleaming new capital. From the dry lands of Rayalaseema to the basins of coastal Andhra, the land and its resources and its people; all of them are afforded an opportunity to do something magical with the opportunity to build a new and gleaming state with opportunity and future.

If the people will elect and pick politicians who will work for a state that will use all available resources to betterment of the state, there will be no looking back for the new state. The future holds great promise to all that are associated as the development of infrastructure will lead to a massive employment and investment opportunity for all, and it will also avail the people to build something that will represent today and the future while we hold on to the heritage of the forefathers. After all the governments create separation, but we are all Telugu people who live in different places, states and countries, but after all we are telugus; brothers and sisters. As we are going to have two states, we move on and build each state to the best of our abilities and for the future generations. We have had house divided in just about every family and this is no more or no less difficult when it happens, but should not preclude the separation to be normal and eventually for the betterment of everyone. Opportunity to build and rebuild and looking forward to a fantastic two states for both my brothers and sister states; here is to the Telugu people all across the globe.