Hyderabad: Visit of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sharp attacks on “corrupt one family rule” in Telangana has sparked off political firework with Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao personally launching a counter attack.
As Rahul Gandhi in his series of engagements in the city over two days charged the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government with complete failure and hobnobbing with BJP, KCR sought to turn the tables on Congress chief.
“Rahul Gandhi talked about our family rule. Our family rule is better than Delhi family rules,” KCR applied tool of irony and sarcasm to take on Rahul. Rahul has succeeded his mother Sonia Gandhi as Congress president.
KCR said he did not see anything wrong in dynastic rule but the way state Congress leaders bow before the party high command was atrocious and slave mentality. “It was rejected by the people of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh who handed over power to NTR (N.T. Rama Rao).”
He rejected the criticism that the TRS was afraid of Rahul Gandhi’s visit. “Why should we be afraid of him? Like other national leaders he will also address rallies and go. It is good that he is visiting the state but my advice to him is that his maturity level should also increase. Grow up, Rahul, grow up,” KCR said.
He also advised the Congress leader that instead of reading out what the local leaders have given to him, he should check the facts. For instance, he said Rahul’s claim that TRS promised 2.2 million two-bedroom houses was wrong and the correct figure was 260,000 houses and most of them were nearing completion. Similarly, recruitment process on 100,000 vacancies was also about to complete.
Asking Rahul not to indulge in loose talk, KCR said that he will lose respect. “Already he was being perceived as an asset for the rivals of Congress party,” he said.
Congress, which is organising a separate programme for Andhra settlers or the people of Andhra living in Hyderabad, also came under attack from KCR. Warning Congress against creating any discord in the name of settlers, KCR said, “Why only Andhra people? People from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other states are living here happily. TRS had fielded them from ten wards in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections and all of them won. We are not narrow minded.”
On allegations that the TRS was hobnobbing with the BJP, KCR said none can match secularism of TRS in the country. “For the minorities all over the country, the central government has allocated Rs40 billion while we have increased minority welfare budget in Telangana to Rs20 billion.”
