As Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the streets of Hyderabad, the Congress strengthened its attacks against Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) leader and Telengana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
For the last few days Telangana CM KCR has been accusing BJP of a poaching bid where four of its MLAs were allegedly offered money to cross the fence.
As Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the streets of Hyderabad, the Congress strengthened its attacks against Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) leader and Telengana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Taking a dig at the CM who has been for the last few days alleging poaching bid by the BJP to destabilise his government, Gandhi said that KCR has direct access to Modi but he pretends to be a rival outside. “KCR has direct access to Modi and gets orders from him on how to act in Telangana. But they act as rivals outside,” the Congress leader added.
Addressing the rally at Hyderabad, Gandhi scion said, “TRS and BJP are one and the same and they work the same. People should not fall in their trap.” He also added that TRS supports most of the bills of the BJP in parliament.
Gandhi also questioned the infrastructural development of the state and blamed KCR for lack of development. Making a sarcastic comparison with Delhi Rahul said, “I thought Delhi is the most polluted city, but I got to know it's Hyderabad as the TRS government is keeping the standards of infrastructure so low. The infrastructure development that is supposed to happen here is not happening.”
Talking about his experience of Yatra through the state, Rahul added, “In my 7-day yatra in Telangana, I met farmers, youth, and all the other people of the state. Congress leaders and I listened to the voice of these people all day. The Telangana farmers say that they are working so hard every day and are still not able to get profit because they are not getting any support from the government.”
The newly appointed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also joined Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Telangana and addressed the first rally as Congress chief. However, here even he continued praising Rahul Gandhi’s efforts and said that the country will get a non-BJP government in 2024 only under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.
“People are joining Bharat Jodo Yatra in lakhs across the country and in the coming 2024 elections, the Congress government will come to power at the Centre,” Kharge said.
Kharge lashed out at KCR for trying to expand his National relevance instead of putting focus on the welfare of the state he is in charge of. “KCR is visiting other states and meeting leaders. He went to Kolkata, then Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar. Look after your own house first,” the Congress President added.
He also accused KCR of weakening the Congress and said, “By your actions, you are weakening the party which is alive from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and ready to fight the BJP.”
Citing KCR’s support to BJP on now-withdrawn farm laws, the dalit leader from south India said. “If you are against the BJP, why did you support them on the farm laws? He (KCR) claims to be in favour of a non-BJP government, but is working in tandem with them.”
He also echoed Gandhi’s allegation of KCR-Modi pack and said, “KCR's government is there because of the support of the people of Telangana. But they are trying to destroy everything. There is no difference between KCR and Modi, both are together.”
Responding to Congress’ attacks on KCR, TRS mocked at Gandhi and asked him to first have a victory in his family turf of Amethi.
TRS Working President and IT Minister KT Rama Rao, who is also son of KCR termed Gandhi as ‘International leader’ and tweeted, “International leader Rahul Gandhi who can't even win his own parliament seat in Amethi ridicules Telangana CM KCR Ji's national party ambitions. Wannabe PM should first convince his people to elect him as an MP (from Amethi).”
Amethi in Uttar Pradesh has been a sit for Gandhi family for decades unless Rahul lost it in 2019. He fought from both Amethi and Wayanad in Kerala and saved his MP sit through triumphing the later.
However, Congress didn’t stop here and communication-in-charge and senior Congress leader further attacked KCR and said that Telengana is ruled by now ‘eighth Nizam’.
In the latest effort to revive the party Congress has been attacking all the opposition parties as ‘B-team of BJP’. Political analysts note that though the Congress may think such efforts can provide it with the tag of authentic opposition, in reality the cracks among the non-BJP parties may ultimately be counter-productive in 2024.