Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi sought the support of Telangana people for the State Congress and for the UPA at the Centre to ensure development in all the sections of the society.Addressing a mammoth election rally in Mahbubnagar on Monday, Rahul made strong pitch for a prosperous and progressive Telangana ensuring social justice.
“Only Congress can ensure development which will benefit the Dalits, farmers, labourers, backwards, women and minorities all at once. The party will favour Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in one spirit.”
Rahul’s first election speech in Telangana was remarkable for no reference to his arch-rival and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. He made only one mention of the BJP when he said that the party was trying to make Hindus fight with Muslims.
Entire focus of his half-an-hour-long speech was on development and on the role played by the Congress in fulfilling the promise of Telangana State. “We don’t want politics of anger and revenge”, Rahul said.
The young Congress leader, who often drawn flak for lacking oratorical skill, on Monday emerged as an effective orator with clear thinking.“If not for Sonia Gandhi, Telangana State would not have become possible,” he said amid the cheers of the crowd which had come braving intense summer heat.
“If you want benefits and progress in your State, then you should vote for the Congress Government and we will ensure unprecedented development,” said Gandhi who was described by other speakers at the rally as “the future Prime Minister”.
Rahul’s aversion to Modi’s reference was surprising as the BJP leader is scheduled to visit the region on Tuesday and address a rally at the same venue.Urging the people to make a choice between a big dream and a small dream, Rahul said, “Vote for the Congress if you want to have a big dream which can change your life, where ‘Made in Telangana’ will become a brand,” he said.
He said, while the Congress did everything possible to evolve a consensus and make Telangana a separate State, the Opposition Telugu Desam Party and the BJP tried to stop its formation in Parliament and the TRS had no role in drafting and passing the Bill.
lashing out at the TRS he wondered, “When the party could not keep its promise made to the Congress for merger and failed to fulfil its promises of making a Dalit the first Chief Minister of Telangana, how can it fulfil the promises made to you”.
“TRS leaders want only one thing — power,” Rahul said. “We will make Telangana a State where every religion will have respect and which will follow secular values,” he said.“If you want to make Telangana a great State then you should carry all the sections and religions along”. He said that the Congress party will fulfil all the promises made both to the people of Telangana and Seemandhra.
Promising a far-sighted Government in Telangana, Rahul made a three-point commitment — India’s biggest power plant in the region, 10-year tax holiday to ensure equal part to all the districts and national status for the Pranahita-Chevella and Palamuru irrigation projects.
Recalling how the UPA Government had adopted a right-based approach to lift 15 crore poor people above poverty line, Rahul said that on returning to power for the third term, the UPA will continue the same approach. He promised to give the right to shelter or housing, right to free medical care to the poor and 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies on a priority basis.“After three years you will not find a single poor family without a roof over their head in Telangana,” he said.
Talking of employment for the youth, he rued that T-shirts, watches, mobile and shoes worn by the youth in the country today carry ‘Made in China’. But “we want to change this by developing industrial corridors in the country and generate employment for lakhs of youth. We want to see ‘Made in Telangana’ and ‘Made in India’ on every product used by our people. Only the Congress can do it”.
later Rahul left for Nizamabad to address another election rally.The Mahbubnagar rally was also addressed by Telangana State Congress president P lakshmaiah, Mahbubnagar lok Sabha candidate and Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, Nagarkurnool lok Sabha candidate Nandi Yellaiah and others.