Delhi Smog: T'gana BJP suggests Hyerabad as 2nd capital

As the national capital is reeling under the smog crisis, the Bharatiya Janata Party in Telangana has suggested Hyderabad as the second capital of the country. While the move would save the capital region from the clutches of the environmental crisis at least during the winter months, it might help the national party to clip the wings of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.

The proposal to make Hyderabad as the second capital of the nation came from C. Vidyasagar Rao, former governor of Maharashtra during a book launch programme here at the Telugu University on Tuesday. The senior leader from the state, however, attributed the proposal to Dr BR Ambedkar, who authored the Indian Constitution. “Dr Ambedkar mooted Hyderabad as India’s second capital. Ambedkar had said that if the country ever wanted to have a second capital, it must be in Hyderabad,” he said.

The former Governor later elaborated on his demand in several vernacular channels that interviewed him on the issue. He was of the idea that there must be a thorough discussion on the issue in open forums and all political parties must come to a common conclusion before pitching the demand at the national level. “The face of Hyderabad will change if it becomes the second capital of the country. The BJP is ready to discuss the issue at the party level and wish that other parties will also do the same,” he said.

Why now

The state unit of BJP which has tasted success in the recent general elections by winning four MP seats from Telangana has increased its efforts to make a mark in the state. Unlike its sibling state of Andhra Pradesh, Hindus are united here and the BJP has a considerable following in the state which was once ruled by Nizams. With the BJP national president Amit Shah declaring that his next target is Telangana, the party has been active and in fact, wants to form the next government in the state.

The BJP very well knows that 70% of the state’s revenue comes from Hyderabad and who so ever rules Hyderabad will rule Telangana. If the second capital concept takes shape then the centre can have a major say in the development and day to management of Hyderabad, thereby restricting KCR to the rest of the state. However the BJP, for the time being, has linked the issue with the pollution in New Delhi as it is worried about upsetting people of the state who are very sentimental about their region.