Congress Manifesto Will Reflect Social Inclusiveness Of Telangana People Says Sridhar
Adilabad: The Congress’s manifesto committee chairman Sridhar Babu has said the party would come up with the narrative of Social Telangana (Samajika Telangana) to counter the Bangaru Telangana in the upcoming assembly polls in the state.
In an exclusive interview to Deccan Chronicle, he spoke on different aspects of the manifesto and the kind of response the party was getting for the ‘six guarantee schemes’ it has announced to woo the voters.
Sridhar Babu said, “We are not in a hurry to announce the party manifesto for the Telangana polls. We have already announced the six-guarantees that will get a place on the first page of the manifesto. We would take our time to prepare the manifesto and do not want to compete with the BRS in releasing it.”
Excerpts:
Could you elaborate on the Congress party’s manifesto on which your committee is working?
The manifesto will reflect the inclusive Telangana and elements of the ‘Social Telangana’. The social justice endeavour will play a key role and the manifesto will be comprehensive. Primarily, the manifesto will reflect Telangana as an ideal state and the common Congress ideology is of ensuring social justice to one and all.
How is your experience as in-charge for Karnataka in the run-up to the assembly elections there helping the youth here in working on the manifesto and in identifying the issues in Telangana?
I can claim a little bit of exposure to Karnataka politics during the time of the elections, mainly in preparing the manifesto along with others. The commitment that the party has given to the people there was based on the common ideology of the party, which is social justice and inclusive politics. With such an approach, we won the polls hands down in Karnataka.
The aspirations, demands and needs of the people of Telangana are different from those of Karnataka. On the holistic side, with the experience I had there, d I will try to do what I can to implement the same in Telangana.
What kind of experiences do you have as far as guarantee schemes are concerned and how they would play a role in improving the poll prospects of the Congress in Telangana?
The same thing happened when the Congress declared the five-guarantee schemes in Karnataka. The BJP and the JDS spread falsehood against the schemes and tried to create an impression among the people there that the schemes wouldn’t be implemented. But, ultimately, the people believed in Congress’s promise of five schemes and we could win the polls and form the government. They keep making false allegations against the guarantees. But, the reality is that the schemes are successfully being implemented there.
The same is repeating here and the BRS and BJP are campaigning against it with false allegations. The Congress is going to form the government in Telangana and we will implement the guarantees. No doubt about that.
Are you visiting all the districts to get feedback and receive representations from the leaders of different organisations in the state?
The manifesto committee is planning to visit all the composite districts but there are time constraints. The previous panel members have already visited a few districts and started the exercise. We will also come out with assembly and district manifestos by latching on to the local issues and demands.
What kind of response and feedback are you getting in your interactions with the people during your tours?
The response is very good from the people from all walks of life. We are witnessing a sense of hope among the people that the Congress is coming to power and their problems would be solved by our government.
Many are giving representations and pleading with us that their demands should be included in the manifesto. This reflects the high hope the people have in the Congress.
How do you look at the BRS campaign against the Congress party’s six guarantee schemes and the allegation that these are not feasible for implementation?
It is simply a vicious campaign and I can guarantee that the schemes are effective. As far as the offer of free bus travel to women in Karnataka is concerned, 62 lakh women travel free each day in buses of the KSRTC now. One or two issues may arise, like they may not be able to find a place to sit on the bus, or somebody would fight for a seat. But, 62 lakh families are happy with the scheme and they are going to schools, colleges, hospitals and to markets. Earlier, they had to ask their parents or husbands for bus fare. Now, this is helping in women empowerment.
If people like KT Rama Rao can’t see these, I can only say that he should be more professional and dynamic and he has to look the things differently.
Do you think the offer of Rs 500 LPG scheme works in favour of the Congress and how is the response from women?
The financial burden on the women and on every household is very high now. They are paying Rs 1,200 or now Rs 1,000 for gas. Women welcome any government that gives them the LPG cylinder for Rs 500. Women are happy and we are seeing this happiness on their faces.
