Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has sought the support of Telangana people for his party in the state and for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the centre to ensure inclusive development in society.
Addressing a mammoth election rally in Mahbubnagar, Rahul made a strong pitch for a prosperous and progressive Telangana with social justice.
“Only Congress will ensure development which will benefit Dalits, farmers, labourers, backwards, women and minorities. It will benefit Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians,” he said.
Rahul’s first election speech in Telangana was remarkable for no reference to his arch-rival, the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
He made only one mention of the BJP when he said the party was trying to make Hindus fight against Muslims.
The entire focus of his half an hourlong speech was on development and on the role played by Congress in fulfilling the promise of a Telangana state.
“We don’t want politics of anger and revenge”, Rahul said.
The young Congress leader, who often faced flak for lacking oratory skills, on Monday came across as an effective communicator.
“But 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 to benefit from having your own state, then you should elect a Congress government which will ensure unprecedented development”, said Gandhi, who was described by other speakers at the rally as “future Prime Minister”.
Rahul’s aversion to any reference of Modi was surprising as the BJP leader was scheduled to visit the region tomorrow and address a rally at the same venue.
Urging the people to make a choice between big dream and small dream, Rahul Gandhi said, “elect Congress if you want to have a big dream which will change your life, where Made in Telangana will become the brand”, he said.
He said while the Congress did every thing possible to evolve a consensus and make Telangana state possible, the opposition Telugu Desam and BJP tried to stop it in Parliament and the TRS had no role in drafting and passing the bill.
Lashing out at the TRS he wondered, “when the party did not keep its promise made to the Congress party on merger and did not fulfil the promise of making a Dalit the first Chief Minister of Telangana, how it will fulfil the promises made to the people”.
“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 along.”
He said that the Congress party will fulfil all the promises made both to the people of Telangana and Seemandhra.
Promising a farsighted government in Telangana, Rahul pledged to build India’s biggest power plant in the region, provide a ten-year tax holiday to ensure equal development of 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 150 million poor people above the poverty line, Rahul said that, on returning to power for a third term, the UPA will continue the same approach. He promised to fulfil the right to shelter or housing, right to free medical care for the poor and 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies on a priority basis.
“After three years you will not a find a poor family without a roof over its heads in Telangana”, he said.
Talking of the employment for the youth he rued that T-shirts, watches, mobile and shoes wore by the youth in the country today carry “Made in China”.
“We want to change this by developing Industrial corridors in the country and generate employment for lakhs [hundreds of thousands] of youth. We want to see Made in Telangana and Made in India on every product used by our people. Only 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 union minister S. Jaipal Reddy, Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha candidate Nandi Yellaiah and others.
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