Why These 12 Border Villages Are Torn Between Telangana and Maharashtra
HYDERABAD: Residents of 12 disputed villages along the Telangana-Maharashtra border remain divided over participation in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. While some residents have opted for Telangana, others have chosen Maharashtra.
Officials said villagers are filling enumeration forms issued by both states. As a result, the exercise reflects the decades-long dispute over jurisdiction.
The 12 villages come under Mukhaddamguda, Bolapatar, Parandholi and Anthapur gram panchayats in Kerameri mandal of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district in Telangana. However, Maharashtra also claims them under Jivti taluq of the Rajura Assembly constituency.
Welfare benefits shape residents’ choices
The villages have a combined population of around 10,000. Residents have received welfare benefits from both Telangana and Maharashtra over the years. Consequently, these benefits have influenced their preferences.
Recently, a group of villagers met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai. They submitted several demands, including the issuance of land pattas. Earlier, some residents had boycotted the SIR process.
Community affiliations have also influenced local opinion. Many residents from Dalit and Buddhist communities, who primarily speak Marathi, favour Maharashtra.
Reservation benefits strengthen support for Telangana
In contrast, most members of the Banjara, or Lambada, community support Telangana. They cite Scheduled Tribe status, reservation benefits and welfare schemes as key reasons.
The Lambada community receives 10 per cent reservation under the Scheduled Tribe category in Telangana. By comparison, Maharashtra provides only 3 per cent reservation under the Vimukta Jati category.
Moreover, many Lambada families access education and welfare schemes in Telangana. Their children also study in schools and colleges across the state.
Ramdas Ranveer of Mukhaddamguda, who was part of the delegation that met Fadnavis in Mumbai on June 30, said the group sought land pattas for the land they cultivate. They also requested that the government include their holdings in official revenue records.
“We requested land pattas for the lands under our cultivation and inclusion of these lands in revenue records. The Chief Minister assured us that a survey would be conducted and appropriate steps taken to address our demands,” Ranveer said.
Meanwhile, the dispute continues to highlight competing administrative outreach by both Telangana and Maharashtra. Both states continue to assert their claims over the 12 villages, while residents remain divided over their political and administrative future.
