At first glance, the central government's raking up of the Telengana issue seems to be an act of monumental stupidity: what was the need for the resolution, when a simple face-saving promise to set up a commission to study the issue in detail (and bury it quietly) would have sufficed? Three things:
- Food prices are up by about 20%
- Uncomfortable questions are being raised about how the intelligence agencies have dropped the ball on the David Headley affair
- The 123 nuclear deal is close to fruition, with the government, going by past form, likely to give the American negotiators what they want.
Can you say 'diversion'?