A Congress government will rename Pragathi Bhavan, the chief minister's residence, as 'Praja Paalana Bhavan', Rahul Gandhi said.
Published Nov 17, 2023 | 8:08 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 18, 2023 | 8:45 AM
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi at an election rally in Telangana. (INCTelangana/X)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, 17 November, told Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao that the school and the college in which the BRS chief studied were built by the Congress in the past 60 years.
“KCR asked, ‘What has the Congress done in the past 60 years?’ The school in which you studied, the college you went to, and the road on which you are walking were all made by the Congress in Telangana,” said Gandhi at a rally in Narsampet.
“Hyderabad becoming the IT capital today was made possible because of the Congress government. All these have been made with the hard work of the youths of Telangana,” he added.
In Pinapaka, the Congress MP said, “Chief minister, the Hyderabad that from which you stole round the clock for the last 10 years was made the IT capital of the world by the Congress.”
.@INCIndia leader @RahulGandhi in an election rally in Telangana said to @TelanganaCMO KCR, ” the schools and colleges which you studied and roads you are walking on were constructed by the Congress government.” pic.twitter.com/UgOP7d4CCc
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) November 17, 2023
The Congress leader had three rallies on Friday — at Pinapaka in Khammam, and Narsampet and Warang East in the Warangal district.
The Congress leader said that after the party’s victory in the state, the government will rename Pragathi Bhavan as “Praja Paalana Bhavan”.
“Congress’s victory will usher in a golden era of ‘Prajala Telangana’. The Pragathi Bhavan will be renamed ‘Praja Paalana Bhavan’, whose doors will be open to all, 24×7,” the Congress leader later said on X (formerly Twitter).
He was referring to the allegation against Telangana Chief Minister KCR that he does not meet people and works entirely from the official residence, Pragathi Bhavan.
It has even been alleged that he doesn’t meet his party leaders and access to the home is limited to a few people.
“The chief minister and all ministers (of a Congress government) will hold regular Praja Darbaars to listen to and resolve people’s grievances within 72 hours. Join us in building an accountable, transparent and people first Prajala Telangana,” said Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi said at his rallies that Telangana was going to witness a toofan (storm) of support for the Congress in the Assembly polls, and that the ruling BRS would lose comprehensively.
Addressing a rally at Pinapaka in the Khammam district, he alleged that the corruption of the BRS was evident all over the state.
He said the first aim of the Congress was to deliver a people’s government in Telangana, and after that to dislodge the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
“KCR has come to know that a Congress toofan is going to come in Telangana… Such a storm is coming that KCR and his party will be wiped out in Telangana,” said Gandhi.
“The fight is between ‘dorala (feudal lords) Telangana and prajala (people’s) Telangana,” he went on, alleging that all the departments “where money is made” — including liquor and sand — are in the hands of the chief minister’s family.
The masses dreamt of a “people’s Telangana” when they wanted a separate state, but KCR is fulfilling the dreams of only one family, Gandhi charged.
He also said KCR “looted ₹1 lakh crore from people” in the name of building the Kaleswaram project.
Gandhi visited the Medigadda barrage of the Kaleswaram project recently, following reports that the piers of the barrage had sunk.
At another rally in Narsampet, Gandhi alleged that though the integrated land records management system Dharani was set up by the BRS government, the lands of farmers were snatched away.
He also alleged that BRS MLAs “take a cut of ₹3 lakh” in the Dalit Bandhu scheme (grant of ₹10 lakh per Dalit family).
It was the Congress that used to provide free power to farmers in undivided Andhra Pradesh, he said, assuring the people that the party would continue to provide free electricity supply to them after coming to power in the upcoming Assembly polls.
He also highlighted the other election “guarantees” of the Congress, including ₹2,500 per month, LPG cylinder for ₹500, and free bus travel for women.
The six guarantees announced by the Congress would be approved in the first Cabinet meeting if the party came to power, he said. These assurances are not empty words like those of KCR and Narendra Modi, he added.
“Our first aim is to make a people’s government in Telangana. After that, we will dislodge the Narendra Modi government in Delhi (at the Centre),” he said.
Speaking in Narsampet, Rahul Gandhi recalled the role of Congress and Sonia Gandhi in the formation of Telangana in spite of facing strong opposition.
“However, Telangana was not made for one family. The wealth of Telangana has gone to one family,” he said.
Alleging that KCR’s regime was the rule of one family, he said the Congress would like to usher in a government of the “backward, Dalits, and Adivasis”.
The amount looted by KCR from people would be deposited into the bank accounts of people in the next five years by the Congress, he said.
Speaking of the other parties in the fray, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BRS, the BJP and the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM were working together, and recalled that the BRS had supported the Narendra Modi government in the Lok Sabha.
He also accused the AIMIM of fielding its candidates wherever the Congress was fighting in order to help the BJP.
The electoral battle was between the Congress and the BRS, he said, adding that the AIMIM and the BJP were helping the BRS in the elections.
