It’s ‘bye-bye KCR’, says Congress at Karimnagar meeting

HYDERABAD

The Karimnagar Kavathu (Karimnagar March) of the Telangana Congress at the historic Ambedkar ground from where Sonia Gandhi, in 2003, had promised to deliver Telangana at any cost, turned into a sentimental platform from where the party announced that it was going to be ‘bye-bye KCR’ in the next elections and emergence of Congress regime.

The stage was set perfectly for the occasion with those who played a key role in the formation of Telangana, including former Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was instrumental in preparing the Telangana bill draft, and former MP Ponnam Prabhakar, who as chairman of the Telangana MPs forum, kept the issue alive, and other seniors joining. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was the chief guest while AICC incharge Manikrao Thakre was the guest of honour.

Telangana Congress president A. Revanth Reddy said the Ambedkar stadium was a sacred place for the State as it was from there that the firm hope of a separate Telangana emerged with the promise of Sonia Gandhi. From the same place now, he said, it was time to say ‘bye bye’ to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

He alleged KCR’s model of Telangana development was reflected in 3,000 wine shops and 60,000 belt shops ruining the lives of people and the government’s excise income increasing from ₹10,000 crores to ₹36,000 crore. Karimnagar town sent KCR to Parliament and also BJP State president Bandi Sanjay. But it was Ponnam Prabhakar as Karimnagar MP who got Telangana. While KCR failed Telangana, Mr. Sanjay’s party – BJP had found fault with the introduction of the Telangana bill in Parliament.

While the Telangana model utterly failed, he said, Chhattisgarh ruled by Congress emerged real model state in the country where farmers get the highest support price for paddy and there was no loot of resources by the government. It was time for people to throw out KCR’s failed Telangana model and bring in the Congress’ progressive and people-friendly Chhattisgarh model.

Mr. Reddy announced that Congress would provide ₹5 lakh for the construction of houses to those who had a house site. Similarly, ₹2 lakh loan for farmers would be waived and 2 lakh vacancies in the government would be filled. Arogyasri scheme with ₹5 lakhs for treatment would be implemented.

Mr. Bagel said Karimnagar would be remembered whenever Telangana was remembered and attacked KCR, saying only his family got jobs in separate Telangana. He said it was in the hands of Telangana people to save it from KCR and hand it over to Congress to bring a farmer- and people-friendly government.