Hyderabad: Hitting out at Bharat Rastra Samithi (BRS), Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday that Telangana’s fiscal health was ruined under the BRS rule.
Speaking at public meetings in Medak and Sangareddy, he said, “During its formation in 2014, Telangana was a surplus state, after nine-years under the BRS government rule, every person in the state is under a debt of Rs 5 lakh.”
Questioning who benefited under the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government in Telangana, Kharge on Sunday assured that if the Congress comes to power in Telangana it will implement its six guarantees in the state.
Addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy constituency in the run-up to the November 30 Assembly polls in Telangana, Kharge highlighted the six poll guarantees announced by the Congress in Telangana and promised to fulfill them urging the people to elect them.
He attacked Telangana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao saying “KCR ji kept doing whatever he wanted and asked “who benefitted from it?”
‘Sonia paved way for Telangana’
Kharge expressed his disappointment with chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, emphasizing his perceived ingratitude towards Sonia Gandhi, who played a pivotal role in the formation of Telangana. “You should be ashamed of yourself for forgetting Sonia Gandhi. She was instrumental in the creation of Telangana. She introduced schemes like MANREGA, ensured compulsory education for underprivileged students, but KCR now seems to prioritize his own agenda, burdening everyone with debt,” he said.
“We laid the foundation for everything, and only because of that reason you are having fun. We gave ration, built industries, and jobs while you are selling industries,” he told BRS.
“KCR changed his colours after the formation of the state and turned his back on Sonia Gandhi,” Kharge said. “Congress always thinks for people with low incomes; we nationalised banks, we bought land reforms, and we formed the Telangana state.”
Cong guarantees
He asked TPCC chief Revanth Reddy to take a bus and go with his friend KCR to see Congress guarantees at work in Karnataka. “We take full responsibility for what we say and do it. We have fulfilled 4 out of five guarantees promised in Karnataka; the fifth one will be done soon. KCR will say it for votes and never do,” he said.
Kharge also spoke about the party’s vision for the state and its six guarantees, including financial aid to Mahalakshmi, affordable gas cylinders, generous support for farmers and laborers, as well as significant investments in education and healthcare. “Our Six guarantees include Mahalakshmi offering 2,500, and gas cylinder for Rs 400. For Farmers, Rs 15,000 and Rs 12,000 for farm labourers, and paddy bonus per quintal of Rs 500. Every student will get Rs 5 lakhs for education. Will make international schools in all Mandals. And Rs 10 lakh health insurance.”
Medak’s Indra connection
Kharge evoked Medak’s Indira Gandhi connection, while addressing a public meeting in the district. He recalled that Indra began her political journey from Medak. “In the 1980s, she was elected as an MP and later served as India’s Prime Minister for three terms,” he reminisced.
He also highlighted her role in fostering industrialisation and job growth in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state, pointing out, “If Indira Gandhi hadn’t been elected from this region, we wouldn’t have key public sector factories like BHEL, BDL, and the Ordnance Factory, which have played a vital role in providing employment opportunities.”
Asks PM where are jobs
There are 30 lakh vacancies in central government agencies; Kharge said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen on TV distributing appointment letters just recently, “He earlier said that every year, he will give two crore jobs. Just recently, he gave certificates to only 5,000 jobs. Where are 18 crore jobs?”
“We gave many jobs, but did not show off. Clerks used to send these letters home. Not Prime Ministers,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
