Telangana Polls: Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said it is her dream to see the party’s government in Telangana that will work for all sections of society.
Similar to the ‘five guarantees’ announced during the recently-concluded Karnataka elections, where the Congress witnessed a massive victory ousting the BJP, the Congress leader announced “six guarantees” to the people of Telangana, ahead of the Telangana elections scheduled later this year.
Addressing a rally in Tukkuguda near Hyderabad, Sonia Gandhi said, “We are announcing six guarantees and we are committed to fulfil each one of them”.
“Under Mahalakshmi, Rs 2,500 per month financial assistance will be given to women in Telangana, gas cylinders at Rs 500, and free travel for women in buses across the state in TSRTC buses,” she said.
“I along with my colleagues had the opportunity to be a part of the birth of this great state, Telangana. Now, it is our duty to elevate the state to new heights,” Gandhi said.
“It is my dream to see a Congress government in Telangana that will work for all sections of the society. Are you going to support us,” she said at the rally.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stepped up the attack against the Opposition parties in the state, including the ruling Bharat Rashta Samithi led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
“In Telangana, Congress is not just fighting BRS, it is fighting BRS, BJP and AIMIM,” said Rahul.
“They call each other separate parties but they are working together in collusion. I have seen BRS MPs in Lok Sabha. When BJP needed them, their (BRS) people supported it,” he said and cited the instances of BRS “support” to the BJP on farm laws, GST, and President and Vice-President polls.
“We call BRS ‘BJP Rishtedaar Samithi’,” the Congress leader added.
Rahul Gandhi announces ‘6 guarantees’
Rahul Gandhi also explained the six guarantees the party has announced for Telangana.
Speaking of the first guarantee, he said, Rs 5 lakh will be given for construction of a house to all those who do not have one. Under this scheme, a 250-square-foot 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,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Under the second Mahalakshmi scheme, every month Rs 2,500 will be given to women, a cylinder for Rs 500 and free travel in buses. The third guarantee is Griha Jyoti and under this 200 units of free electricity will be given. Under the fourth scheme, up to Rs 5 lakh assistance for education in college and financial aid in coaching, Gandhi said.
“Rs 4,000 monthly pension for elderly and Rs 10 lakh health insurance,” Rahul said on the fifth scheme, adding that the sixth scheme was Rs 15,000 for farmers and Rs 12,000 for farm labourers annually.
The Congress leaders are in Telangana for the first meeting of the reconstituted CWC that took place on Saturday. An extended CWC meeting took place on Sunday. Besides regular members, permanent invitees and special invitees, the extended meeting of the CWC included state party chiefs, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders, parliamentary party office-bearers and its Central Election Committee members.
Assembly elections in the southern state are due later this year, along with four other states.