Rahul Gandhi Announces Six Guarantees for Telangana, Says BRS is 'BJP Rishtedar Samithi'

The two-day-long meeting of the recently reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) concluded in Hyderabad on Sunday.

While addressing a public rally after the meeting, party leader Rahul Gandhi announced six poll guarantees for Telangana including financial assistance and free travel for women in state buses. The party also promised gas cylinders at Rs 500.

Rahul further hit out at the ruling BRS in the state and asserted that Congress didn’t give statehood to Telangana for the benefit of KCR and his family members. He also termed BRS as ‘BJP Rishtedar Samithi’.

Kharge Takes a Dig at BJP

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, while addressing the public rally, also took a dig at the BJP saying “those who haven’t done anything keep saying that they have given Independence to the country”.

Financial Assistance, Free Travel for Women in State Buses

Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi promised financial assistance and free travel in state buses to women of Telangana.

“Rs 2,500 per month financial assistance will be given to women in Telangana under the Mahalakshmi scheme, gas cylinders at Rs 500, and free travel for women in TSRC buses across the state, to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Telangana we are announcing 6 guarantees and we are committed to fulfilling each one of them, ” she said.

What Did Congress Leaders Say on CWC Meeting?

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar called the meeting “very very fruitful”. “It will change the face of Telangana, it will change the face of India. We have assured the country that Congress will come back,” he said.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP & party’s general secretary K C Venugopal said the two-day meeting has put up a clear agenda to “remove the BJP government” from the Center in 2024.

“This two-day meeting has put up a clear-cut agenda. In 2024 we have to remove this (BJP) government. Therefore this is a call from the CWC to the workers of the party throughout the country. Now without taking a rest, we have to fight to win. As far as assembly elections are concerned, we are very confident that we are going to form the government in all five states,” he said.

Former Rajasthan DCM, Sahin Pilot noted the meeting was held to chalk out a strategy for elections.

“This meeting was held for elections. Despite getting a complete majority, the BJP government has failed. We have discussed and made strategies on how to defeat the BJP and other parties. The Congress will win the upcoming elections in all five states,” Pilot stated.

Senior party leader Ambika Soni stated that the discussion on the INDIA bloc alliance was not on the agenda of the CWC meeting. “That (discussion on the INDIA alliance) was not on the agenda but to fight the election, everybody gave their opinion,” Soni said.

Rahul Gandhi on Saturday asked party leaders at the CWC meeting to focus on people’s issues and maintain ideological clarity, and cautioned them against “walking into traps of the BJP”.

“He (Gandhi) laid specific stress on the need to have ideological clarity. All of us emerged from that hall of the CWC in deep thought with absolute clarity. He warned us against walking into irrelevant traps of the BJP. These are not issues of the common man or woman or to any of us,” said Pawan Khera while addressing a press conference on the second day of deliberations of the CWC.