HYDERABAD: Congress president Rahul Gandhi is all set to launch the party’s campaign in Telangana state for the upcoming general elections with his two-day visit to the state, beginning from Monday. This is Mr Gandhi’s first visit to Telangana state after taking over the reins of the party in December 2017.
Mr Gandhi’s tour has already generated political heat in the state with the ruling TRS and main Opposition Congress engaged in a verbal war over the denial of permission to Mr Gandhi to meet students at the visit OU campus, the epicentre of Telangana statehood agitation. Congress leaders and cadre have pinned high hopes on Mr Gandhi’s tour hoping that he will energise the party which is still reeling under the severe drubbing in the hands of the TRS in the 2014 elections.
Mr Gandhi will take part in Praja Chaitanya bus yatra and is scheduled to address two public meetings during the two-day visit. TPCC Chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who was instrumental in bringing Mr Gandhi to Telangana and convincing him to take part in the bus yatra, said, “Rahul Gandhi's tour is the beginning of the end of KCR rule in Telangana.” Mr Reddy added, “All sections of Telangana society and the Congress are eagerly and enthusiastically preparing to receive the future Prime Minister of India. The TRS Government has cheated all sections and failed on all fronts. Rahul Gandhi will expose how the TRS failed Telangana after the Congress granted it statehood in 2014 fulfilling the six-decade dream of Telangana people.”
As per revised schedule released by TPCC on Sunday, Mr Gandhi will arrive at Shamshabad airport at 2.30 pm on Monday. He will interact with women self help groups in Classic Covention Centre, Shamshabad from 3 pm to 4 pm. Later, Mr Gandhi will reach Sherilingampally and address a public meeting to be held from 5.30 pm to 7 pm. After the meeting, he will proceed to Hotel Haritha Plaza for the night halt.
On Tuesday, Mr Gandhi will hold a teleconference with booth committee presidents in all districts at 9 am. He will meet industrialists at Hotel Taj Krishna from 12 noon to 1 pm. Mr Gandhi will visit Telagana Martyrs Memorial and pay floral tributes at 3.30 pm. He will meet students, youth and meeting organisers at Saroornagar stadium at 4.45 pm. Mr Gandhi will address a public meeting of unemployed and youth at Saroornagar stadium from 5 pm to 6.15 pm and leave for Delhi at 7 pm.
