Congress leader Rahul rules out tie up with TRS, hits out at KCR

Asserting that the Congress will not join hands with Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at any level, senior Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday sent a strong warning to the leaders who go against the party policy.

“The Telangana chief minister has betrayed the people, shattered their dreams and looted thousands of crores of rupees. We shall never forgive such a person and do not entertain any idea of having a relationship with him. If any Congress leader raises this issue again, he will be shown the door,” Rahul said, addressing a massive rally at Warangal.

He said if any Congress leaders had any inclination towards the Telangana Rashtra Samithi or the Bharatiya Janata Party, they could as well leave the party. “We don’t need such people, however big or senior, they are. They will be kicked out of the party,” he said.

The Congress leader alleged that there was an unwritten understanding between the TRS and the BJP. He recalled that the TRS had supported the Modi government when the latter had brought in draconian laws on agriculture. “Despite rampant corruption by KCR, Modi will not take any action against him. This is a clear indication of the nexus between the two,” he said.

He said the BJP was trying to rule Telangana through remote control of the TRS government, as it was aware that it can never come to power on its own.

The Congress leader said only those who had been with the people and fighting for their cause would get the party tickets on merit basis in the next elections. “You may think you are a big leader or senior. But if you are not with the people and don’t take part in their movements, you won’t get tickets,” he said.

Rahul said there would be a straight fight between the Congress and the TRS in the next elections. “We shall defeat the TRS and form the next government in Telangana,” he asserted.

The Congress leader regretted that the dreams of millions of people of remain unfulfilled even after eight years of Telangana formation. “Only one family has become rich. What about others? Have the youth got jobs? Have the farmers got remunerative prices? Has the number of suicides come down? Who is responsible for all this?” he asked.

He reminded that the Congress had fought along with the people of Telangana to realise their dream of separate state. “Sonia Gandhi had understood your anguish and was moved with the sacrifices made by hundreds of youth. She granted statehood to Telangana. It was not an easy decision and she knew that it would be politically damaging for the party. Yet, she chose to fulfil your dream,” he said.

Accusing the chief minister of ruling the state like a monarch rather than a democrat, Rahul said KCR was implementing his personal agenda, rather than the people’s agenda. “If the Congress party comes to power, we shall herald a new democratic Telangana as visualised by everybody,” he said.

He called upon the people to give the Congress party a chance to realise their dreams. “You have supported the TRS twice, but it cheated you. Now, please give a chance to the Congress party, which will always stand by you,” he said.

WARANGAL DECLARATION ADOPTED

The Congress rally adopted a Warangal Declaration for farmers of Telangana, which was read out by Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy.

The declaration includes various promises such as, waiver of crop loans to the extent of ₹2 lakh at one go, payment of bonus along with minimum support price to the paddy to the extent of ₹2,500 per quintal, direct benefit transfer of ₹15,000 per year to each farmer towards crop investment and ₹12,000 to each tenant farmer, establishment of a turmeric board, grating of pattas to podu lands of tribals etc.

Rahul said the Congress government had implemented its promises made to farmers in Chhattisgarh. “We shall implement the Warangal declaration totally. It is not just a declaration, but a guarantee to each farmer,” he added.