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The Chief Ministers of the two Telugu States —Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, K Chandrasekhar Rao and YS Jaganmohan Reddy ,respectively, — are New Delhi-bound to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss State issues.
The KCR-Modi meeting, expected on Friday, assumes significance, both politically and in Centre-State matters. It will be the first time after nearly a year that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief will be meeting the Prime Minister.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, on the other hand, has been meeting the Prime Minister and visiting New Delhi often, participating in CM conferences and NITI Aayog meetings, both of which KCR had avoided and sent representatives.
The common matters for both the States are the challenges they confront on the economy, project funding, Central allocations and revenues. The leaders too need to iron out political differences in the light of the massive mandate Modi’s NDA has got in May 2019.
After the announcement of elections to Telangana Assembly in September 2018, KCR has not met the Prime Minister so far. His TRS. with tacit understanding with the BJP, romped home to a landslide win in the December 2018 Assembly elections. However, relations soured slightly before the Lok Sabha elections in April-May.
TRS managed to win only 9 LS seats, while the BJP won four in a spectacular and unexpected performance. The Federal Front ambitions with a national role nursed by KCR also got a jolt from the BJP’s victory. Consequently, the Telangana CM preferred to stay away from New Delhi for sometime.
Though KCR maintained cordial relations during the first term of Modi, in the second term it will be the first meeting of the two leaders. In addition to perhaps improving relations, KCR is expected to seek national status to his pet irrigation project — the multi-million dollar Kaleswaram irrigation project.
Issues faced by Andhra Pradesh
The AP Chief Minister faces a few tough challenges, including State finances, new capital city, Polavaram and bifurcation issues. The situation makes it incumbent on him to forge good relations with the Central leadership. Despite winning 152 out of 175 Assembly seats and 22 out of 25 LS seats, the YSR Congress finds itself with very little representation at the Centre, but for holding some influence in the Rajya Sabha.
Therefore, Jagan has been taking a practical approach. His party had an understanding with the BJP in the elections as it took on the common political enemy ― Nara Chandrababu Naidu of Telugu Desam.
Post General Elections, realising the political realities and equations, Jagan is making efforts to build bridges with the Centre, by meeting the Prime Minister and various ministers. He is expected to call on the Prime Minister on October 5.
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