Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday predicted that the TRS would be defeated in the 7 December Assembly elections and promised a “Naya Telangana” under a Congress government after the polls. “I tell you with full confidence that the Congress will come to power in the coming elections as I can sense public anger against the KCR (K. Chandrasekhar Rao) government,” said the Congress president.
Rahul Gandhi addressed three meetings—Bhainsa in Adilabad district, Kamareddy and Charminar in Hyderabad city—in Telangana as part of his party electioneering and called upon people to remove the KCR government for failing to implement its promises like double bedroom houses to weaker sections, three acres of land for SC/STs and drinking water to all households. Rahul Gandhi said that KCR, who rode to power on the sentiments of people who fought for a separate state over decades, had misused his authority only to benefit his son, daughter and other family members in the last four-and-a-half years. “KCR has betrayed your trust and belied your hopes,” said Rahul Gandhi in Hindi.
This is Rahul Gandhi’s first visit to Telangana after the Assembly was dissolved on 6 September. He mostly focused on the “wrong policies” of KCR, but also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Rafale deal. “The PM claims to be a watchman of the country, but the fact is that he (PM) is a watchman for Anil Ambani alone,” Rahul Gandhi said.
As local party leaders had urged him to devote his attention to local issues, and anti-people policies of KCR, instead of talking only about the Rafale deal, Rahul Gandhi briefly mentioned about the defence agreement, but attacked PM Modi for serving the rich. “Modiji says Congress has never bothered about the poor, but we (Congress) are responsible for MNREGA and lifting 10 crore people out of poverty in 10 years,” he said.
At Kamareddy, Rahul Gandhi criticised KCR for backing PM Modi, on the one hand, and “fooling around” with the AIMIM on the other hand. “I am surprised how KCR has supported each and every decision of Modi in the last four years, yet claims to be a supporter of Muslims and AIMIM,” said Rahul Gandhi.
At the Chrminar meeting, Rahul Gandhi attacked AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for backing KCR who, in turn, is backing PM Modi in Delhi.
“Muslims should be aware of politics that is going on in Hyderabad city, they must defeat KCR, a mini-Modi for all practical purposes,” said Rahul Gandhi.