KCR Dismisses Naidu’s PPA Moves As Silly; Restrains Govt. Response

What struck the analysts most about the Telangana Govt.’s response to AP CM Chandrababu Naidu’s moves to scrap PPAs and violate the AP Re-Organization Bill’s power-sharing law is it’s measured response. The reason is said to be the Chief Minister himself, who seemed to have brushed aside the AP CM’s actions of scrapping PPAs silly and juvenile and doesn’t deserve a war of words, when his officers suggested possible ‘retaliatory measures’ like scrapping coal linkages from Singareni to Andhra. He is reported to have instead ordered a toned-down public response and instead asked his office to work the lines with Union Power Ministry and the Southern Regional Load Dispatch Centre (SRLDC) in Bangalore . 

This episode marks the seamless transformation of the agitation party into a ruling party. Quite understandably, the party’s role in agitational politics is marked high decibel, anti-establishment & marked with shrill rhetoric, all directed at making the point that they can’t be ignored and their demand for statehood can’t be brushed aside. So it is easy for the party to fire on all cylinders when it’s arch-rival Chandrababu Naidu gives a unique opportunity to once again show him as ‘Andhra babu’. Especially so when TRS firebrand leader T Harish Rao comes out to give the official government response. He came and he gave a pass! While firmly rejecting AP Govt’s withdrawal plans from PPAs, he simply added that the AP Govt. shouldn’t forget it’s offices and officials still reside in Hyderabad and they may not like losing power as result of the power shortage in Telangana (that could be aggravated by AP’s actions over PPAs). From a leadership that successfully called and stalled with rail rokos, rasta rokos, bandhs, sakala janula samme and many unique protests over the years, thats a mild statement, almost a statement of wit! Almost all the other ministers avoided responses on the issue and let the Government’s actions speak. By the end of the day, the Centre moved in and told AP Govt. their wish can’t be fulfilled.