THERE ARE MANY stories on how the word Telangana came into existence. One of them, which the Telangana Tourism Department and some historians endorse, is that it was derived from trilinga desa or the land of three lingas—three Shiva temples located in different parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Only one of them—the Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy Temple—is within the state borders of Telangana. The town of Kaleshwaram, therefore, draws devotees in their legions. The temple town has taken on an additional significance this election season.
The narratives of both the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi and its principal opponent, the Congress, revolve around the Kaleshwaram irrigation project, which is the largest lift irrigation project in the world. The BRS hails the genius of its creation, while the Congress screams corruption at its mention. The BRS points out how it fulfilled the needs of parched lands and throats. The Congress alleges that kickbacks to the tune of thousands of crores satiated only Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, his family and party leaders. Caught in the middle are the voters who have to make a choice on November 30.
Formal alliances in the political landscape of Telangana are blurred. The BRS has no pre-poll understanding with any party. But, as a “friendly party”, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen is doing its best to help the BRS. The BJP has an alliance with actor Pawan Kalyan’s JanaSena Party, but that is unlikely to help it win any seats. Its priority, it is believed, is to ensure that the Congress does not win.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
