Will Implement Pro-Poor Policies in TS, Says Manikrao

Hyderabad: The Congress is actively considering accommodating BCs in every parliamentary segment and has asked party strategist Sunil Kanugolu to identify two to three seats in every parliamentary constituency, AICC’s Telangana incharge Telangana Manikrao Thakre said. The party, he said, will ensure BCs are adequately represented and announce the candidates in different stages.

In a free-wheeling exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle, Thakre said the party is fighting fit now to take on the BRS, adding that the BJP will be curtailed to a single digit.

There is a growing voice for more seats to the BCs in the state, with leaders holding meetings regularly of late and also meeting senior leaders. How will you address these aspirations?

The AICC convention held in Raipur focused on the policies of the party to favour SCs, STs and minorities. We have decided to give more support to the backward sections and are focusing on them as they are the majority of the population. Rahul (Gandhi) has already said ‘Jitne Jiski Sankhya Bhaari Utni Unki Hissedaari’. That is clear now.

Is there a fixed formula to address these aspirations, apart from saying that the party will follow the Udaipur Declaration in allocating seats to BCs?

Although winnability is our priority, we will ensure justice for every community and representation for all will be our goal. We will announce the BC seats where we are set to win first. The announcement will be done in stages. The state parliamentary board has been formed now. A screening committee will be finalised soon. The list will then be finalised by the Central Election Committee.

Sunil Kanugolu’s team has been asked to identify BC seats in every parliamentary constituency; it can be two or three seats.

How did you achieve the unity evident now among various leaders, barring the occasional outbursts against each other?

When I took charge, the leaders were not on talking terms and there was a lack of communication between them. Everybody doubted the other and there was no effort to bring unity among them. So, the impression of the leaders of the Congress was that they fight among themselves. The people were looking towards us, but we were in a bad condition. To bring the leaders around, I took all of them, from the PCC leader to other leaders, into confidence and met them individually and understood their problems.

I impressed upon them that no one will be favoured and simultaneously, sent the message that action would be taken in the interest of the party. Being Congress leaders at heart they also wanted to get things right. I then entrusted responsibilities and sought their participation and told them no harm should be done to the party. This led to the disappearance of differences between them. So, the people also have now increased their trust in us. The message has finally reached the people that the leaders are together. This has led to improvement in the graph of the party.

The Farmers Declaration by Rahul Gandhi and Youth Declaration by Priyanka Gandhi, to which many leaders attended, sent a message to the people to fight the elections. The meeting in Mancherial by our president (Mallikarjun) Kharge also added to the momentum and we are ahead of BJP now, and are on equal footing with the BRS. This message has reached the people. The Haath Se Haath Jodo yatra was also held in 35 Assembly constituencies and received a good response. The padayatra by (Mallu) Bhatti of over 1,300 km over 109 days, covering 36 Assembly constituencies with the holding of meetings in Mancherial, Jadcherla and Khammam, also added to the momentum. All these brought in a message of togetherness within the party. The BJP will now be kept at a single figure.

Programmes like bus yatra and manifesto will be ready. Pradesh Election Committee was announced recently. More committees for the manifesto, and coordination, to train up to booth workers will be formed. The party leaders and activists are in the poll mode now. Workers have gained confidence that we are winning. Ninety per cent of the district and mandal committees, which were vacant, have been filled now. We are now getting the booth-level committees ready. We are in a good situation and fighting fit now, but the efforts to strengthen will continue.

There is an undercurrent of anger against the corruption of BRS. It is splurging money looted here in other states. BJP and BRS are together in their thoughts. Every Bill of the BJP was supported by the BRS. BRS will join the BJP during the Lok Sabha polls.

The effort by the BRS is to project itself as a pro-farmer party, by showcasing Rythu Bandhu. But the amount is benefitting big farmers more. The BRS promised to build three lakh houses every year, but they have built only 39,000 houses in the entire state, of which 8,000 have been built in KTR’s constituency alone. These were also given to their men, rather than the deserving. In places like Mulugu, they have not even built a single house.

After we romped home to power in Karnataka, people have gained more confidence. This is as we have implemented all the promises made by us. This has been witnessed in Himachal Pradesh also. We are going to announce a Women's Declaration at the Kollapur meeting which Priyanka Gandhi would attend. The SC, ST and minority declaration meeting will be attended by Mallikarjun Kharge.

The debt of Rs 5.4 lakh crore that the state has incurred has not benefitted the people but helped KCR and family only. This benefit of corruption is going to the BJP also.

You are saying Rythu Bandhu is going to big farmers. Is there a plan to restrict the scheme to those having lands below five or ten acres?

Many poor families are not getting Rythu Bandhu as their names have been left out because of Dharani. We will include their names and give them Rythu Bandhu. We are not going to place any restriction on the number of acres of land a farmer owns. We would endeavour to benefit more people.

What about the financial burden that would increase because of this? Congress leader Komatireddy Venkat Reddy had recently written a letter to the state government seeking the release of Rythu Bandhu funds to all farmers mirroring its financial status.  

We will carefully plan our Budget and help the farmers. The revenue that is being generated is being diverted to big projects, whose costs are jacked up and money is swindled to benefit KCR’s family. Hundreds of crores are being splurged in other states. There is no shortage of funds in Telangana. He is, hence, not honouring the promises that he has made. We will honour the promises made to farmers and the poor. There is no question of stopping payments of Rythu Bandhu to NRIs who own land here. The poor will be given more, but we won’t cut payments to others.  

The Congress government in Karnataka has been accused of resorting to cuts in welfare schemes to fund its electoral promises. Given the financial constraints that the states have after the launch of GST on taxation, the states have to either increase revenue on alcohol or petroleum products or borrow, which will result in more taxation in future. How will you dispel these fears in the state?

The party is honouring the promises made. Bringing new schemes and what to do with the old ones is the prerogative of the party in power. Our government is implementing all the promises made by us. The borrowings, even if done, should be within the limits and used for the welfare of the people. Where has the Rs 5 lakh crore borrowed by the KCR government gone? The cost of every project has been jacked up and is going to line the pockets of the BRS leaders and KCR’s family. The same is being spent in Maharashtra for their propaganda.

The Karnataka Congress unit was able to enlist the support of many rights and other civil society organisations against the BJP’s communal politics there. What do you wish to do here? The media has, of late, been hearing appeals to these organisations in press conferences by the PCC president. Will there be a special effort on the part of the party to secure their support?

The goal should be to develop Telangana. But the BRS is doing what benefits the party and family. The people have now realised this and are now standing against the BRS. People are calling us and extending their support to us. BJP has been reduced to nothing and the BRS is a family party. Anyone who supports the ideology of the party will be with us. The BRS is working to favour the BJP. I appeal to all to support us in this endeavour.