Continuing his tirade against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which he termed as ‘the most corrupt regime’ in the country, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reaffirmed his party’s commitment to implement six guarantees if voted to power, stating that they would provide support to every family in Telangana.
Mr. Gandhi concluded his first leg of the ‘Vijaya Bheri’ bus yatra at Armoor in Nizamabad district on Friday afternoon after covering eight Assembly constituencies in the State from October 18 to 20.
The bus yatra, which began at the historic Ramappa temple in Telangana’s north-eastern district Mulugu on October 18, traversed through Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Peddapalli, Karimnagar and Jagtial districts.
The Vijaya Bheri yatra by Mr. Gandhi received an overwhelming response in rural as well as urban areas all along its path in the erstwhile composite Warangal, Karimnagar, and Nizamabad districts, rejuvenating the rank and file of the party in the run-up to next month’s Assembly polls.
Earlier in the day, addressing a street corner meeting in Jagtial, Mr. Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BRS, BJP and AIMIM, accusing them of having a ‘secret pact’ to defeat the Congress at the hustings.
“The Congress will trounce them, sweep the Assembly polls like a tidal wave, and deliver the dream of Bangaru Telangana,” he reasserted.
Invoking the Indira Gandhi-Rajiv Gandhi legacy, Mr. Gandhi struck an emotional chord with the crowd saying: “I share a family bond with you and vow to fulfil your aspirations.”
“The Rythu Bharosa scheme will be implemented soon after coming to power to ensure ₹15,000 per acre per year to farmers, ₹12,000 per year to agricultural labourers and ₹500 bonus per quintal of paddy apart from the minimum support price to paddy farmers,” he said.
“All the defunct sugar factories in the State would be reopened after taking over the reins of the State,” he added amid huge cheers from the crowd.
Listing the other guarantees, such as Mahalakshmi, Indiramma Indlu, Gruha Jyothi, Cheyutha and Yuva Vikasam, Mr Gandhi said, “These welfare programmes will be implemented in letter and spirit once the party assumes power.”
“Congress has a proven track record of implementing the guarantees in the party-ruled States including Karnataka,” he noted.
Training his guns again on the BJP regime at the Centre and the K. Chandrasekhar Rao government in Telangana over the caste census, he charged both with being “indifferent” to such a crucial matter concerning the empowerment of marginalised and weaker sections.
“Soon after coming to power, our government will carry out a caste count to ensure equitable distribution of the State’s resources and emancipation of poor people and undo injustices being done to Other Backward Classes (OBCs),” he added.
En route to Jagtial as part of his bus yatra, Mr. Gandhi halted his vehicle near Jagtial and visited a roadside eatery where he tried his hand at making dosas.
He distributed chocolates to children at a bus stop and interacted with locals to connect with the rural masses.
AICC in-charge of Telangana Manikrao Thakre, TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, AICC secretary D. Sridhar Babu and a host of senior Congress leaders accompanied Mr. Gandhi during his three-day bus yatra.
