Free Telangana from clutches of KCR family: Sonia

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi gave a call to free Telangana from the clutches of Telangana Rashtra Samithi and bring back Congress to achieve development envisaged by her at the time of bifurcation of the state. She was addressing a public meeting here on Friday along with AICC Chief Rahul Gandhi and alliance partners.

“When I came here today, I felt like a mother seeing her children after a long time. But I also note that my child is not healthy. Its growth was stunted as the caretaker neglected the child,” Sonia who is praised as Mother of Telangana (Telangana Talli) said. Recalling the hurdles, she has faced while granting statehood to Telangana, she said that she really wanted both the newborn states to develop at a rapid pace.

“It was not an easy decision. But we took the decision keeping in view of the aspirations of the people of Telangana. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul finally took the decision. Congress paid the price and faced the anger of people of AP,” she said. “I want to assure the people of AP that when we come to power at the centre, we will accord Special Category Status to AP,” Sonia said.

“Today my heart is pained to see Telangana, how many dreams that you have seen for Telangana…water, funds and employment is all that the people wanted. They got nothing in return. You must know one thing …don't believe those who fail to keep their word. These elections are an opportunity to remove this predicament,” Sonia said asking the voters to elect the alliance here in Telangana. She released party manifesto and said that details of programmes for all the sections of the society were incorporated in it.

KCR ran government like a family business: Rahul

Later, addressing the public meeting AICC Chief Rahul Gandhi reminded that Sonia as UPA chairperson stood like a rock behind the people of Telangana when they were fighting for the state. “We are going to end four and half years of autocratic rule by TRS. We as an alliance have joined together to fulfil aspirations of Students, farmers and women of Telangana,” he said.

“All these years one man (KCR) has worked for the betterment of his family…ran the government the way he wanted, but the grand alliance will work for the betterment of the people of Telangana, we will work for farmers, students,” Rahul said.

TPCC chief Capt. Utttam Kumar Reddy said that the alliance led by Congress will form a government on December 12. He said that Congress will waive loans worth Rs 2 lakh each for farmers after coming to power. “After losing elections KCR will go to the farmhouse, and his son KTR to the USA,” he said.