HYDERABAD: TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy declared on Sunday that the Telangana Garjana at Khammam would be a historic and watershed event as it would herald the downfall of the BRS. “A meeting held in Palvancha long back had marked the commencement of the movement for statehood. We will hold a meet at the same venue by December 9,” referring to a date the election results are expected to be held.
Speaking at the meeting organised to mark CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s completion of his 1,360-km padayatra on Sunday, Revanth Reddy thanked all those who had turned up for the meeting and heard Rahul Gandhi, who had walked the length and breadth of the country.
“The state was given in deference to the wishes of the people, who longed for statehood for 60 years. We came up with farmer and youth declarations in our Warangal and Hyderabad meetings, respectively. We will take the agenda of development and welfare together. I congratulate Bhatti (Vikramarka) for his successful yatra. It is time the Kalvakuntla family is sent packing,” he said.
Speaking at the meeting, Bhatti said, “I thank the AICC for allowing me to undertake the yatra and take the message of Bharat Jodo Yatra forward. The yatra was intended to bring down the BRS which is drunk with power. The yatra allowed me to understand the problems of the people.”
He said he had met many of those affected by the BRS government’s policies, which had forced educated youth to take up menial jobs. “The three major points on the statehood movement’s agenda-water, funds and jobs- remain unfulfilled. There have been no jobs for nine years now. We had distributed 24 lakhs acres of land to the poor. We promise to give back the land taken over by the government,” Bhatti said.
Welcome Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy into the party, Bhatti said, “Let us all together ensure that the Congress wins all the 10 Assembly seats in the district.”
On his decision to join the Congress, Srinivas Reddy said, “This was taken after six months of deliberation. This was to honour the wishes of the people. Many opined that only the Congress could drub and drive out the BRS.”
Srinivas Reddy added, “The BRS has failed to keep its promises. The waiver of Rs 1 lakh of farmer loans remains to be fulfilled. The unemployment dole of Rs 3,000 has not been implemented. The graph of the Congress has improved after the Bharat Jodo yatra by Rahul Gandhi. BRS leaders have been creating hurdles for our meeting for the last one week.”
Taking to Twitter, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “3.8 crore people want change. Rahul Gandhi’s Telangana Jana Garjana rally on Sunday represents the shared aspirations of the people (sic)’.
He congratulated Bhatti for completing his People’s March padayatra. Several senior leaders will join the Congress party and strengthen the hands of the people, he said.
The party was proud of the collective leadership of the Telangana state unit. Our blueprint will herald a new dawn in Telangana. “We are strongly committed to the development and progress of Telangana based on social justice and equity,” Kharge added.
