Driven by the hope that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s charisma would give the TRS a second spell in power and probably the urge to avoid simultaneous Lok Sabha and state elections, the Telangana government has recommended dissolution of the Assembly months before its term was to end. TRS supremo KCR rode to power in 2014 on the crest of his popularity as the political face of the Telangana statehood agitation. Continuing good work, TRS has built a strong political and developmental narrative. Its politics as a party built solely on Telangana identity has little competition.

Of course the party has benefited from Telangana inheriting a revenue generating metropolis like Hyderabad.

KCR’s efforts to constitute a federal front proved a non-starter owing to his insistence to keep the Congress Party out of it since the latter is his main challenger in Telangana. Luckily for him, the lack of a popular leader to counter him and internal divisions among various state leaders are trouble spots for Congress. As time ticks away, Congress is also debating how to get its political-social-organisational-electoral planks off the ground and present itself as a credible alternative, with some sections seeking projection of a leader of S Jaipal Reddy’s stature to counter KCR.

JS Acharya

Hyderabad

 

Fuel price bandh

With reference to the news report ‘Fuel prices: Congress calls bandh on Sept 10’ (September 7), it is surprising to learn that the Congress party leadership has thus far not been able to muster much support from the Opposition camp for its Bharat Bandh call on Monday over 'unrelenting' hike in petroleum products. But, with support coming only from the Left apart from some 'moral' support from the TMC, it amply indicates the most likely failure of party’s senior leaders Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot and Mallikarjun Kharge who have been asked to reach out to other political parties. Needless to say, if it fails to successfully ‘encash’ on this God-sent opportunity then its political future may remain as bleak as hitherto.

If Congress’s media in-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala’s claim that the “Modi government is selling diesel for ₹34 per litre and petrol for ₹37 per litre to other countries, whereas in India the price is too high,” is true then the government owes an explanation to the people.

This view gains significance as FM Arun Jaitley has categorically ruled out any 'cut' in the Central Excise Duty. Could he please suggest the most 'appropriate' time to (re)act? Perhaps, the 2019 general elections

Equally worrisome is the 100 per cent hike in the price of unsubsidised LPG since the Modi government came to power. However, one wishes the political class too shoulders the burden of the common man.

Vinayak G

Bengaluru

The Congress party is justified in calling for a bandh on rising fuel prices. The price rise of petrol and diesel will have serious impact on the cost of commodities and transport causing severe problems to the common man.

The government should have made a study on this aspect and taken steps to render relief to people.

The price rise is also likely to impact industrial and commercial sectors too. The government must take immediate steps for the relief of the common man.

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

 

DeMo impact

With reference to the article ‘The fuzzy impact of demonetisation’, one feels that enough thoughts were not applied or serious discussions were undertaken before the decision to demonetise ₹1000 and ₹500 notes. Even the 0.70 per cent of notes that did not return to the exchequer cannot be treated as black money. Huge amount in Indian rupees is held in countries like Nepal, where it is being exchanged as legal tender. Currencies held by NRIs who could not return to the country during the period also form a sizeable sum.

The hardships faced by the common man, death of many citizens, slow down in the economy and failure of many small businesses on account of the demonetisation can never be compensated by the remaining currency that is yet to return to the RBI.

KC Varghese

Koonamkunnel (Kerala)

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