Congress to announce poll promises for Telangana on Sep 17

Hyderabad: The Congress would announce five 'guarantees' to Telangana people ahead of the Legislative Assembly elections at a public meeting to be held here on September 17.

Top Congress leader Sonia Gandhi would announce release the five poll guarantees at the rally on September 17, state Congress president and MP A Revanth Reddy has said.

Congress has already announced that the first meeting of the newlyconstituted Cong ress Working Committee under party chief Mallikarjun Kharge will be held in Hyderabad on September 16.

An extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting will be held on September 17 that will include all Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chiefs. The Congress had released 'Farmers Declaration', 'SC, ST Declaration' and 'Youth Declaration', comprising its promises to the Telangana voters in the assembly polls scheduled to be held in a couple of months.

In the Legislative Assembly polls in neighbouring Karnataka, the 'five guarantees' announced by Congress is believed to be a major factor in the party's success.

The ruling BRS in Telangana has already announced candidates for 115 of the total 119 Assembly seats. Meanwhile, Telangana is set to witness hectic activity on September 17, the day the erstwhile Hyderabad State under Nizam rule merged with the Indian Union in 1948.

The Union Government and different political parties have planned to organise events in Hyderabad to celebrate the day. This has assumed significance in view of the upcoming elections.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had participated in the official celebration of the 'Liberation Day' held by the Centre in Hyderabad last year and he is expected to attend the event in the Telangana capital this year as well.

September 17, the day the then princely state of Hyderabad merged with the Indian Union in 1948, is interpreted differently by different parties in Telangana.

The CPI has decided to conduct week-long events from September 11-17 to mark the Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle (1946- 51) which was spearheaded by the Communists. The CPI says that the struggle forced the Nizam to merge Hyderabad State with the Indian Union.

The Asaduddin Owaisiled AIMIM would organise a bike rally and public meeting on September 17 which it would celebrate as 'national integration day'. Describing September 17, 1948 as 'Liberation Day', the BJP has been fighting for its official celebration by government for about two decades now.

The BRS government had declared the day last year as National Integration Day.

Union Tourism Minister and BJP president in Telangana G Kishan Reddy on Saturday hit out at the Congress and BRS for not officially celebrating September 17 during their tenure in office allegedly under the influence of AIMIM.