With the goal of returning to power in the State in 2019, the Telangana state Congress on Monday kicked off an ambitious “Bus Yatra” on Monday with a call for “total revolution” to achieve the goals of a separate Telangana State.
launching the Bus Yatra from Chevella near Hyderabad Telangana Congress Committee president N Uttm Kumar Reddy declared that the days of TRS rule were over and Congress was on the way back to power. ‘let elections be held anytime. The return of Congress to power is decided”, he said.
charged the K Chandrasekhar Rao government with total failure in fulfilling the promises made to the people in last elections. “The people did not vote for this kind of a Telangana. They have made up their mind to teach KCR a lesson”, he said addressing a meeting before setting on the state wide tour.
A custom made fully air conditioned bus carrying all the top leaders of the party in the state will tour 115 of the 199 assembly constituencies.
Selection of Chevella as a starting point of the program had a sentimental and symbolic importance as late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy had started all his major campaigns incuding the famous 1600 km long walk in 2003 was from this place in Ranga Reddy district. He had also launched his successful election campaigns in 2004 and 2009 from there.
“Telangana is the most corrupt state in the country. No other state has the scale of corruption which we are seeing here”, Uttam Kumar Reddy said. He also alleged that the state was being “looted” by KCR family pointing out that the power was cornered by KCR and his children.
“If Congress comes to power it will restore the old design of Pranahita-Chevella project and ensure supply of water to the Ranga Reddy district”, he said.
Other promises include Rs 3000 per month pension to all the unemployed youth and pension to all the eligible members of a family instead of present scheme of one pension to one family.
Apart from Uttam Kumar Reddy, All India Congress Committee secretary R C Kuntia, party’s leader in the state assembly K Jana Reddy, leader of opposition in state legislative council Mohammed Ali Shabbir, senior leaders Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, D K Aruna, V Hanumantha Rao, Ponnala lakshmaiah, A Revanth Reddy, Danam Nagendar are also participating in the Yatra.
Interestingly the inaugural meeting was also addressed by the former cricketer and former MP Mohammed Azharuddin who is tipped to contest the next elections from Telangana.
The Congress leaders hope that the Bus Yatra apart form highlighting the failures of the TRS government over the last four years will also create a momentum in favor of their party. The party will go all out to highlight the role of the Congress and its president Sonia Gandhi in formation of Telangana state in 2014.
However it was badly defeating in the polls as the entire credit of achieving Telangana state was cornered by KCR and his party TRS.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi was also expected to join the Bus Yatra for some time the date of which was not yet decided. He was also scheduled to address a massive public meeting in the month of June marking the end of the tour.