New Delhi:
As the government and Congress leaders discuss the contours of Telangana, India's 29th state, two options are on the table.
The first option would be to bunch the 10 Telangana districts into a separate state which will have 17 Lok Sabha seats and 119 assembly constituencies. In that case, the rest of Andhra Pradesh will have 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 assembly seats.
The second option would be to add two Rayalaseema districts - Anantpur and Kurnool - to Telangana, so that both the new state and the rest of Andhra Pradesh will have 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats.
Sources say Hyderabad, a big bone of contention, is likely to continue as a common capital for the first five to ten years. Leaders of the both regions say they cannot afford to lose the employment and investment opportunities invested in the IT-driven city.
Congress strategists believe that option two will serve multiple political purposes. For one, this geographical arrangement will check the growing popularity of Jagan Mohan Reddy and the YSR Congress. Mr Reddy's stronghold lies in Rayalaseema. By carving it up, the Congress hopes to divide his supporters.
Also, the two Rayalaseema districts in the new state will limit the influence of the Telegana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) as they will account for four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly seats.
But many leaders in Rayalaseema see it as a distinct third region and oppose this option.
The first option would be to bunch the 10 Telangana districts into a separate state which will have 17 Lok Sabha seats and 119 assembly constituencies. In that case, the rest of Andhra Pradesh will have 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 assembly seats.
The second option would be to add two Rayalaseema districts - Anantpur and Kurnool - to Telangana, so that both the new state and the rest of Andhra Pradesh will have 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats.
Sources say Hyderabad, a big bone of contention, is likely to continue as a common capital for the first five to ten years. Leaders of the both regions say they cannot afford to lose the employment and investment opportunities invested in the IT-driven city.
Congress strategists believe that option two will serve multiple political purposes. For one, this geographical arrangement will check the growing popularity of Jagan Mohan Reddy and the YSR Congress. Mr Reddy's stronghold lies in Rayalaseema. By carving it up, the Congress hopes to divide his supporters.
Also, the two Rayalaseema districts in the new state will limit the influence of the Telegana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) as they will account for four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly seats.
But many leaders in Rayalaseema see it as a distinct third region and oppose this option.
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