When Telangana didn’t figure in KCR’s meet with Accidental Prime Minister

Hyderabad: When the Telugu version of the Hindi film Accidental Prime Minister, based on former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, is out (slated for release on January 18), perhaps the juicy parts for the Telugu states could be the scenes depicting the politics over Telangana statehood during the UPA regime.   The film is based on a book written by senior journalist Sanjay Baru, who was the press secretary to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In a revealing scene in the film, Congress leader Ahmed Patel requests Sanjaya Baru to apologise to KCR for stating that Telangana issue did not figure during a meeting between KCR and PM. However, Baru does not budge from his position that he does not owe KCR an apology.    

While the story revolves around Singh and Congress leaders, there is a reference to Telangana and present Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. In the related scene, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel has a meeting with Baru. During the brief interaction, Patel reasons with Baru, saying: “We need to honour alliance partners in coalition government.

I want you to apologise to Chandrashekar Rao.” Quick on the uptake, Baru reiterates that in the meeting with Singh in question, the TRS president did not discuss Telangana.  Therefore, Baru refuses to apologise, and adds for good measure that he takes orders from the Prime Minister.

Baru mentioned this in his book that the TRS leader and a cabinet minister had demanded his dismissal from the government for issuing a denial to media and for baring the subject of the TRS leader’s conversation with Dr Singh. 

“Rao had claimed that he met PM to press for an early decision on Telangana, while he had, in fact, met him for some other purpose and the Telangana issue had never come up in the conversation.

This is what I said to the Telugu media when pressed by them for an account of what actually transpired at the meeting. Patel wanted me to apologise to the minister and end controversy. I had to tell Patel that my briefing was factual, and I saw no reason to apologise, but would do so if instructed by the Prime Minister,” said Baru in his book.

Baru also wrote that the matter ended there because KCR calmed down after that.  After a few weeks, during a visit to 7 Race Course Road, Rao hugged him warmly and offered to invite him home to have Hyderabadi biryani, but the invitation never came. However, this was not showed in the film.