The issue of a separate statehood for Telangana is now firmly back in the thick of things. The Central government has been in no hurry to take any quick decision on this. But those fighting for Telangana have maintained that that there is no question of going back on the issue, with the student community at the forefront of the protest. The Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) has decided to intensify its agitation and has called upon government and private employees to take part in the agitation, which started on September 13.

About R3,500 crore has been estimated as losses due to the ongoing agitation in the last 10 days from across sectors. This has forced the state government to come out with a ?no work, no pay structure? which has affected the middle class big time. ?Who?ll blink first?? is the question prevailing across the state on the T-factor.

The city of Hyderabad is facing a power crisis as 65,000 workers of Singareni Collieries have switched off operations. With doctors and the public transport system also cut off, Hyderabad has come to a standstill. The situation in the other districts of Telangana is also similar, with the rural economy bearing the brunt of the crisis.

History shows that Telangana has always been a part of Andhra Pradesh. It constitutes Hyderabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Mahaboobnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and Warangal districts. Telangana is one of the least developed regions in India. Rampant poverty, illiteracy, malnourished children, child labour, farmer suicides, unemployment, water scarcity and electricity shortages combine to present a nightmarish picture in this part of India.

The Telangana statehood issue gained prominence even though it was a backward region with barren lands. Land in the rest of Andhra and Rayalaseema was considered fertile. After NT Rama Rao became CM, migration to the Telangana region increased, resulting in exploitation of both land and people. Previously, Madras (Chennai) was the capital of Andhra and Rayalaseema. The economic power of Andhra and the muscle power of Rayalaseema always overshadowed Telangana, resulting in a regional imbalance.

Political analysts say that separate statehood for Telangana seems to be inevitable as of now. It is, therefore, not a question of if, but when. The reality is that there hardly seem to be any options left for the Congress-led UPA government, according to many political watchers. It may be mentioned here that the first UPA government, in its Common Minimum Programme, had given its support for a separate Telangana state. But the party failed in its commitments, which led to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) resigning from the first UPA government at the Centre.To buy time, they formed a committee under finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to study the demand for statehood. Then, all of a sudden, following a 11-day hunger strike by TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and massive street protests across the region, home minister P Chidambaram stated that the process of state formation had indeed begun. ?The process of forming the state of Telangana will be initiated. An appropriate resolution will be moved in the state assembly,? read out Chidambaram on the night of December 9, 2009. Then, doing another about-turn, the UPA government went back on its assurance and bought more time by forming the Srikrishna committee. It is now almost six months since the committee submitted its report. The government seems to be still in ?consultation mode?, with Chidambaram saying that the Centre is yet to take a ?final view on Telangana?.

The Telangana Political Joint Action Committee chairman M Kodandaraman says that the ongoing Sakala Janula Samme (people?s protest) has gathered momentum and has even spread to the upper classes of society. Chandrasekhara Rao says, ?We want Telangana in the same form, without an inch of land in excess or deficit.?

Members of the Telangana Congress Steering Committee?comprising ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs?have decided to meet Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and request her to take an early and favourable decision on the

Telangana statehood issue. This week could mark a crucial new phase in this long-winding political drama.