Cong sounds poll bugle in Telangana with ‘six guarantees’

Hyderabad: The Congress on Sunday sounded the poll bugle in Telangana by announcing six guarantees which included the promise of Rs 2,500 per month and cooking gas cylinder at Rs 500 for women, as Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the state’s ruling BRS, calling it the “BJP Rishtedar Samithi”.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi gave the commitment that the six guarantees will be fulfilled as soon as the party forms the government in Telangana.

Addressing a large gathering in Tukkuguda near here, Rahul Gandhi dubbed the BRS as the “BJP Rishtedar Samithi” and said that while opposition leaders were being attacked by government agencies, there were no cases against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and AIMIM leaders because Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers them his own.

The rally marked the culmination of two days of hectic political programmes that included the first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC). Gandhi said that in Telangana, the Congress is not just fighting the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), but also the BJP and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

“They call each other separate parties but they are working in collusion. I have seen BRS MPs in Lok Sabha. When BJP needed them, their (BRS) people supported it,” he said, citing the BRS’ “support” to the BJP on farm laws, GST and in elections to the posts of president and vice president.

Whenever the BJP needed its help, the BRS supported them, the former Congress chief said. Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who also gave a brief speech at the rally, said it is her dream to see the party’s government in Telangana that will work for all sections of society and appealed to people to support the Congress.

Amid chants of “Sonia amma”, she said that “we are announcing six guarantees and we are committed to fulfil each one of them”. Rahul Gandhi also asserted that on the formation of the Congress government in Telangana, these guarantees will be fulfilled in the first cabinet meeting.

He said the first guarantee is “Indiramma Indlu” under which Rs 5 lakh will be given for the construction of a house to all those who do not have one. Under this scheme, he said, a 250 square yards house would also be given to those who fought in the Telangana statehood movement.

“All those listening who don’t have a home, as soon as our government comes, you will get a home,” the former Congress chief said.

Under the “Mahalakshmi” guarantee, the party promises women Rs 2,500 per month, a gas cylinder for Rs 500 and free travel in buses, Rahul Gandhi said. The third guarantee is “Gruha Jyoti” and under this, 200 unit free electricity will be given to all households, he said.

Under the fourth guarantee, “Yuva Vikasam”, the party promises Rs 5 lakh assistance for education in college and financial aid in coaching, he said.

“Rs 4,000 monthly pension for the elderly and Rs 10 lakh Rajiv Arogyasri insurance would be given under the fifth guarantee ‘Cheyutha’,” the Congress leader said. (PTI)