Addressing a poll rally in Kadapa, the Congress leader alleged the remote control of the three leaders is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Published May 11, 2024 | 5:13 PM ⚊ Updated May 11, 2024 | 5:13 PM
Rahul Gandhi, YS Sharmila at a poll rally in Kadapa, AP (X)
Hitting out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and other opposition parties in the state, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, 11 May, said the BJP stands for Babu (TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu), Jagan and Pawan (Janasena founder Pawan Kalyan).
Addressing a poll rally in Kadapa, the Congress leader alleged the remote control of the three leaders is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Invoking the name of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), Rahul Gandhi said the former’s political walkathon (padayatra) across Andhra Pradesh was the inspiration for his nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“Today, Andhra Pradesh is run by the ‘B’ team of BJP. The BJP’s ‘B’ team means B for Babu, J for Jagan, and P for Pawan. Remote control of these three people is with Narendra Modi,” Gandhi said, taking a dig at the three parties.
He further said these leaders were under Modi’s control as the latter has ED, CBI, and other enforcement agencies at his disposal.
The Gandhi scion said Rajasekhara Reddy was like a brother to his father Rajiv Gandhi and both leaders shared a personal relationship also.
As and when the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre after the 2024 general elections, he claimed it will accord a 10-year special category status to Andhra Pradesh and fulfil other promises such as completing the Polavaram project, Kadapa steel plant and others.
Canvassing for party candidates for the Assembly polls in the southern state, he promised to waive select farm loans, free education from kindergarten to post graduation, ₹5 lakh housing loan for poor people and others.
Also, on assuming power at the Centre, Gandhi promised to take two revolutionary steps never done before, which include making a list of all the poor people of India and a woman from each of those families will be credited with ₹1 lakh per annum.
He also promised to raise Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) wages from ₹250 to ₹400 per day.
Further, Gandhi promised minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, 30 lakh government jobs and doubling the income of Anganwadi and Asha workers, among others.
He called on the people of Kadapa and Andhra Pradesh to send his ‘sister’ and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila to the Lok Sabha so that she can voice the values of YSR.
Communist Party of India (CPI), Congress and CPI(M) are INDIA bloc partners in Andhra Pradesh.
Assembly elections will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections for the 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh on 13 May.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
