Gaddar says ‘no' to polls

Making stand clear:Telangana Praja Front president Gaddar.

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Praja Front, a coalition of joint action committees, will not contest the elections but will have no objection to any of its 77 constituents fighting the polls. According to its president, Gaddar, the differences voiced on this crucial issue at the inaugural function on October 9 should not deflect from the larger cause of fighting for separate Telangana. In fact, a resolution adopted at the meeting recorded the ‘minority view' against contesting elections expressed by Vimala, wife of Janashakti leader, Amar, and others, he said in an interview. Gaddar's refrain is that the Front “is not and will not become a political party. It is a political force comprising a grouping of JACs that has emerged in the available democratic space”. His argument, a bit complex and convoluted, is that, there are two forces – 4.5 crore (!) people of Telangana and political parties spearheading the agitation for a separate State. His endeavour is to carry forward the movement and it is for the political parties to do the rest through elections. Political parties had failed, both in 1969 and in 2009, to bring to a logical conclusion the movements for separate Telangana spearheaded by students and other forces. “As a Front, we will not, therefore, go in for elections. Let there be dissent on this score and let Front constituents campaign in villages for a secular, democratic and socialist Telangana. This is a temporary committee and I am a temporary president,” he said. When it was pointed out that this line contradicted his view of occupying the democratic space and yet corresponded with the Maoists' rejection of parliamentary form of democracy, the balladeer, said, “I am not giving a call for boycott of the elections”. A known Maoist sympathiser who chooses to describe himself as “a peace campaigner', Gaddar says further “am I singing songs for ushering in a revolution. They are all about `amma Telangana”. Gaddar, who is launching his tour of Telangana from Nalgonda district on October 22, was asked whether he would work with other pro-Telangana parties and also seek the help of Maoists. “My main aim is to see that a Bill on Telangana is introduced in Parliament. I cannot impose my view on the CPI (Maoist). How can I be dubbed an extremist after demanding a Bill on Telangana”. Asked to respond to apprehensions that peace and tranquillity in the State may be disturbed in the run up to and after the submission of the report by the Justice Srikrishna Committee, Gaddar said the onus lay on Union Home Minister to initiate the process of formation of Telangana as promised on December 9, 2009

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