Joint Action Committee led by Professor Kodandaram to contest in Telangana polls

One of the things that would be keenly watched in the Telangana Assembly elections is how the party of a retired Professor, a comrade-in-arms-turned bitter critic of caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, would fare in its electoral debut.

Prof M Kodandaram had taught political science at the city-based Osmania University and was Chairman of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), formed in 2009.

The JAC, a conglomerate of various political parties, including the TRS and Congress, and social organisations, spearheaded the separate Telangana agitation.

After the formation of Telangana (on June 2, 2014), the JAC had continued as a civil society group, agitating on issues concerning the people and student community.

Not long after the TRS government came to power in 2014, Kodandaram started attacking the Rao regime, accusing it of "betraying the spirit and dreams of Telangana people," among other allegations.

The now Caretaker Chief Minister had also later returned the fire, accusing Kodandaram of being "anti-TRS". The two were at loggerheads since then.

Kodandaram floated Telangana Jana Samthi (TJS) on April two this year and is currently engaged in discussions with the Congress, TDP and CPI to prop up a grand alliance with an objective to unseat the TRS government.

"We are in the process of creating/forming an alliance. The discussion on the agenda is taking place right now and once the (common) agenda is worked out then we intend to think of the modalities for the implementation and then lastly seat sharing", Kodandaram told PTI Wednesday.

"During the last four-and-half years the TRS government has completely neglected and set aside the agenda and expectations of the Telangana people", he said.

Kodandaram, who had toured different parts of the State last year before launching the party, alleged that the ruling party has become autocratic and 'failed' to fulfil the poll promises.

"We want to make it very clear that in the present political situation one should work against the autocratic rule of KCR (as the caretaker Chief Minister is popularly known) and his family", Kodandaram said.

According to him, the purpose is to "democratise Telangana" and "what we intend to do is to explain and mobilise support for that." "We also intend to explain to people that Telangana essentially was meant to realise inclusive development".

He further said the party would soon launch a week-long 'yatra' in the State to create awareness among the people about the "failures" of the TRS government.

The polls were originally scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections next year. However, the assembly was dissolved prematurely last month, which necessitated elections ahead of schedule. The election schedule is yet to be announced.

(With inputs from agencies.)