The first-ever meeting between Chief Ministers of two Telugu States N Chandrababu Naidu and A Revanth Reddy on July 6 has been generating a great excitement in both the Telugu-speaking States. They are meeting at a time when issues related to bifurcation of the state 10 years ago remained unresolved.
Narendra Modi government instead of taking initiative in resolving these issues is only pushing the burden on the two state governments stating that they should come to some understanding. Otherwise, indicating they may approach the Apex Court.
Due to strained relations between chief ministers of two states Chandrababu Naidu and K Chandrasekhar Rao from 2014 to 2019, they failed to reach any headway in contentious issues. Later from 2019 to 2024 though both KCR and YS Jaganmohan Reddy have cordial relations and politically maintained close association, they did not try to resolve any issue. Both of them tried to exploit the contentious issues to provoke people of their respective state against the neighboring state, seeking political dividends.
Just a week after taking charge as chief minister, Naidu proposed this meeting. Interestingly, Revanth Reddy was earlier TDP MLA and was arrested by KCR’s government in the infamous `vote of notes’ case. As KCR threatened that he would include Chandrababu Naidu’s name also in the case, the latter reportedly shifted his government to Amaravati without developing basic infrastructure.
In fact, Revanth Reddy expressed his desire openly that he wanted to attend Chandrababu’s oath taking ceremony, if he was invited. However, as the function is confined as a `show of NDA parties’, being a Congress CM he has kept away.
Incidentally two days ahead of this meeting, both the Chief Ministers met Prime Minister Narendra Modi separately in New Delhi and submitted their list of requests for their respective states. These requests contain some contentious issues two. While Chandrababu sought Prime Minister’s intervention to get payment of electricity supply charges from the Telangana government, Revanth Reddy asked for return of five mandals in Khammam district, which were merged with AP on the request of Chandrababu Naidu in 2014.
Sharing of Krishna and Godavari river waters remained the most contentious issues between both the Telugu states. Prevailing political environment makes it difficult for both the chief ministers to reach a mutually acceptable solution.