It is surprising that neither the Government nor the Congress party thought through the steps before making a midnight announcement about initiating the process of carving out a separate Telangana. It is more so because none other than the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram made the announcement.

Having set the cat among the pigeons, the Centre and the State Government are twiddling their thumbs as they do not know how to deal with the resultant violence and revolt. If the Centre caved in to the pressure of the pro - Telengana protagonists led by Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K. Chandrashekhara Rao, it took two steps back seeing the violent reaction from the Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra region which are demanding a united Andhra Pradesh. Already the agitation for the Gorkha land is picking up, and U.P. chief minister Mayawati is talking of trifurcation of the state. Vidarbha is waiting in the wings.

The last forty-eight hours, full of drama and suspense, have resulted in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assuring that there will be no hasty decision. In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Rosaiah too was keen to convince that there is no time limit for bringing a resolution to the State Assembly on a separate Telangana.

The strategy of both the Centre and the State appears to be to gain time and cool tempers. It is not sure how long this 'cat-on-the-wall” policy will help the rulers; sooner than later, a firm stand will have to be taken.

The midnight decision obviously was prompted by the reports from the state about the failing health of Rao, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was keen to find a solution soon. With senior leaders like Pranab Mukherjee in the picture, it is surprising how the centre did not anticipate the reaction from the other two regions of Andhra Pradesh as well as from other states demanding separate states.

The Congress was looking to find a temporary solution to resolve the fast unto death threat by Chandrashekhara Rao. It is true that the Rao's fast has ended but the complex issue of Telangana still remains.

The immediate impact of the midnight decision is that the Congress itself is divided vertically on the Telangana issue. The MPs from the Telangana region are looking draggers drawn at their counterparts from Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra. The resignations form all parties in the Assembly reaching more than 150 has rattled the Congress High command and has exposed the party totally that it has not made the groundwork before taking a decision on separate Telangana. Added to this is the fact that Chief Minister K. Rosaiah is unable to deal with the explosive situation and looking to the Centre and the party leaders for every move which shows him in poor light. This emboldens the mischievous elements to become active. Late Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy was able to contain the situation; he was also firm in his view that there should be no bifurcation of the state. The political parties in Andhra Pradesh like the Telugu Desam, Praja Rajyam and other smaller parties are playing their own politics and keen to embarrass the Congress.

As for the Congress, the leadership had not made a any consultations with the UPA allies. Parties like Trinamool Congress and Nationalist Congress Party are upset about this unilateral decision. Having made the announcement in Parliament, the government too is not in a position to go back on its stand. So the only way it can escape is by saying that there is no consensus in Andhra Pradesh.

The Prime Minister has assured that there will be no hasty decision but the decision has already taken. There could only be a pause for the time being.

Any positive result will emerge only after the passions cool and the temperature is brought down in Andhra Pradesh. One way of dealing with it was to announce a second State Reorganisation Commission and refer to it the demands from various states. This would not only bring down the temperature in other states which are raising their bifurcation demands but also give enough time for the Centre Government to think over the issue.

The Government and the Congress Party have underestimated the seriousness of the demand for smaller states and the complex Telangana issue. But it is time the issue is resolved with the requisite seriousness. (IPA Service)