Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chief Ministers Meet After a Decade, Begin Talks with a Hug

In a significant development, the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Revanth Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu, respectively, met in Hyderabad on Saturday to discuss and resolve the long-pending issues between the two states. The meeting, which took place at Jyotirao Phule Praja Bhavan in Begumpet, marked a new beginning in the relationship between the two states, which have been at odds since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in June 2014.

The meeting was attended by senior ministers, Chief Secretaries, and other IAS officers from both sides. The officials presented PowerPoint presentations outlining their demands and expectations, and discussed issues that require the Centre’s intervention, such as the division of the Godavari and Krishna rivers. The main objective of the meeting was to establish a platform and channel for both governments to discuss issues without acrimony, paving the way for long-term negotiations.

The meeting was a significant departure from the past, where the two chief ministers, Naidu and K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), were unable to hold talks due to their hostile relationship. However, the current meeting was marked by a warm and cordial atmosphere, with Reddy and Naidu hugging each other before sitting down to negotiate.

According to officials, the two chief ministers have a long history of friendship, dating back to their time in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Reddy was a close associate of Naidu before he quit the party in 2017 and joined the Congress. Naidu’s response to Reddy’s phone call congratulating him on his recent election win was positive, and he suggested a meeting to resolve the pending issues related to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

The meeting is expected to unlock funds for welfare schemes in both states by resolving the pending issues, including clearing power dues, bifurcation of institutions, and division of cash and assets. At least 14 issues are pending between the two states, and the effective division of cash and assets would release funds for various schemes.

The meeting is seen as a significant step towards resolving the long-standing issues between the two states. As one official put it, “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 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.”

The meeting is expected to be the first of many, with both sides committing to work together to resolve the pending issues. The association between Reddy and Naidu goes a long way back, and their friendship is expected to play a crucial role in resolving the issues amicably.

Historical Context:

The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in June 2014 was a significant event in the history of India, as it led to the creation of a new state, Telangana, from the existing state of Andhra Pradesh. The bifurcation was a result of a long-standing demand for a separate state by the Telangana region, which had been a part of Andhra Pradesh since India’s independence in 1947. The Telangana movement, led by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party, had been demanding a separate state for over three decades. The bifurcation was finally approved by the Indian government in 2014, and Telangana became the 29th state of India.

The bifurcation led to a number of issues between the two states, including the division of assets, institutions, and cash. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, was passed to address these issues, but many of them remain unresolved to this day. The two states have been at odds over issues such as the division of the Godavari and Krishna rivers, power dues, and the bifurcation of institutions.

Summary in Bullet Points:

• The Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Revanth Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu, respectively, met in Hyderabad to discuss and resolve long-pending issues between the two states.
• The meeting marked a new beginning in the relationship between the two states, which have been at odds since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
• The meeting was attended by senior ministers, Chief Secretaries, and other IAS officers from both sides, and focused on establishing a platform for discussing issues without acrimony.
• The two chief ministers have a long history of friendship, dating back to their time in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
• The meeting is expected to unlock funds for welfare schemes in both states by resolving pending issues, including clearing power dues, bifurcation of institutions, and division of cash and assets.
• At least 14 issues are pending between the two states, and the effective division of cash and assets would release funds for various schemes.
• The meeting is seen as a significant step towards resolving long-standing issues between the two states, and is expected to be the first of many.
• The association between Reddy and Naidu is expected to play a crucial role in resolving issues amicably.