Decade-Long Rift Ends: Telangana and Andhra CMs Embrace
Decade-Long Rift Ends: Telangana and Andhra CMs Embracein Hyderabad on Saturday to discuss and resolve issues pending between the two states since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in June 2014.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and his Andhra counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu met in the evening at Jyotirao Phule Praja Bhavan in Begumpet. Reddy was accompanied by his deputy, Bhatti Vikramarka, and senior ministers D Sridhar Babu and Ponnam Prabhakar. Accompanying Naidy were ministers K Durgesh, Satya Kumar Yadav and B C Janardhan.
Key Figures and Delegations
Both were accompanied by their respective Chief Secretaries and other IAS officers, who made powerpoint presentations on their demands and expectations from each other.
Sources in the Telangana CMO said the meeting was to break the ice between the two states. Both sides informed each other what they would like to discuss, and presented a roadmap on how that can be achieved. They also discussed issues where the Centre’s intervention is required, like division of water of Godavari and Krishna rivers.
Main Agenda and Issues Discussed
The discussion was mainly about setting up a platform and a channel for both governments to discuss issues without acrimony, an official said, adding, “This meeting is to initiate the process of long discussions and negotiations.
According to officials present at the meeting, the two chief ministers met as old friends, hugging each other before they sat down on the negotiating table.
“Be it Telanagna or Andhra Pradesh, if one state agrees to concede on any issue, there would be immediate criticism that the state’s interest has been ignored. This is the reason Jagan (former Andhra CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy) and KCR (former Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao) could not take their talks forward. The resolution to issues – sharing of assets and properties and cash – would mean letting go of some things, and that could be seen as a sellout by people and critics in both states,” an official said.
Background of the Conflict
Naidu, in his first term from 2014 to 2019, and KCR, while in power from 2014 to 2024, were unable to hold any meetings to resolve the issues, and were considered hostile to each other.
When Jagan stormed to power in 2019, KCR welcomed him, and several meetings were held between officials of the two states, but the deadlock continued as neither refused to cede any ground.
When Naidu’s TDP-led NDA secured a landslide win in the recent elections, Revanth, in a phone call while congratulating him, extended the hand of friendship and said the two states should resolve pending matters related to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 in a friendly atmosphere. Naidu responded positively, and wrote a letter to Revanth on July 2, suggesting a meeting at Hyderabad on July 6.
At least 14 issues are pending between the two states, including clearing power dues that both states owe to each other, bifurcation of 91 institutions, and division of cash balance and bank deposits. The effective division of cash and assets would unlock funds that both states need for welfare schemes.
Revanth and Naidu’s Long-Standing Association
The association between Revanth and Naidu goes a long way back. Revanth was with the TDP for several years and was elected twice on the party ticket from Kodangal – in 2009 and 2014. He was considered close to Naidu before he quit in October 2017 and joined the Congress.
