In the face of immense odds, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi launched the campaign for the beleaguered Congress in Seemandhra region promising to develop it into a model State.
In a bid to soothe the feelings of the people angry with the Congress for dividing the State, Rahul said that it was on the insistence of his mother Sonia Gandhi that the UPA Government decided to give a special package to Seemandhra. It includes tax holiday for the development of the backward areas, building a new State capital and status of national project to Polavaram which was crucial for the farmers of the region.
Addressing a modestly attended election rally at Hindupur in Anantapur, Rahul tried to come clean over the issue of bifurcation. Agreeing that the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was painful for many people, Rahul said, “The issue was pending for last 60 years.”At the same time the Congress was the last party to take a decision on bifurcation after all the other parties including the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party gave in writing their support to it.
Showering promises of sops on Seemandhra region, Rahul said that the students from Seemandhra would continue to get the benefit of educational institutions in Hyderabad for ten years as the city belongs to everybody.
Promising that the work on building a new capital of Seemandhra will begin within six months of the formation of the next Government, Rahul also promised to make the region a hub for the higher education. “We will bring the best educational institutions like the IIT, NIT, IIIT, IIM, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, and agricultural, tribal and petroleum universities here,” he said.
With most of the sitting MPs and MlAs deserting to join the YSR Congress Party and the TDP, the Congress was facing bleak prospects in the 25 lok Sabha and 175 Assembly constituencies in the region. Referring to the exodus, Rahul regretted that these leaders did not have faith in the people of the region.He reminded the people special relationship between Andhra and the Congress. “Especially my grandmother Indiraji had a very close relationship with the region,” he said.Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, Seemandhra Congress chief N Raghuveera Reddy and Union Minster Chiranjeevi were also present.
After Rahul, Congress president Sonia Gandhi was slated to tour the region and address an election rally in Guntur on Friday.