Rahul charges TRS chief with 'backstabbing', only wanting power

Nizamabad/Mahabubnagar (Andhra Pradesh), April 21 (IANS) Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Monday accused Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao of "backstabbing" by going back on his word to merge his party with the Congress.

Addressing two election meetings in Telangana, he said that TRS is interested only in power and urged people to vote for his party to ensure development and prosperity in Telangana, promising to make the new state, which will come into existence, number one in the country.

Gandhi said after the decision to carve out Telangana state, the TRS president came to his house.

"He sat in my room and spoke for five to six minutes. He shook hands and said 'Rahul ji I am with you'. He went out and again came back, shook hands with me and said 'I want to embrace you'. He embraced me and said 'I will stand by you at any cost'. He then went out and later went back on his word and stabbed (me in the back)," he said.

"He (Chandrasekhara Rao) also promised that if Telangana is formed a Dalit will become chief minister. He lied to Congress and he lied to you," said Gandhi.

Addressing his first public meeting in Telangana region after the parliament passed the Telangana bill in February, he said the TRS had no role either in drafting the bill or passing it in parliament. He alleged that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the YSR Congress tried to stall the bill.

Gandhi said the 60-year-old dream of Telangana people would come true on June 2 with the formation of Telangana state.

"Without the Congress and without Sonia Gandhi this dream could have never been fulfilled," he said.

Advising people to dream big, he asked them to bring Congress to power both at the centre and in the new state of Telangana to change their lives.

"If you bring Congress to power, we will develop Telangana because Congress knows how to rule, how to achieve development and how to make all sections of people part of the development," he said.

He promised 4,000 MW power project, national project status to Pranahita-Chevella and Palamur lift irrigation projects, 10-year tax relief in backward areas and use of revenue from Hyderabad for development of all parts of the region.

Gandhi said Congress alone could ensure social justice, protect secular values and carry along all sections of people. He targeted the BJP saying the party pit Hindus against Muslims and work only to benefit few businessmen and industrialists.

"They want two India. One for poor and another for rich. We want one India where all people should enjoy the fruits of development," he said.

"Today, the clothes you wear, the wristwatch and footwear you use, all carry made in China label. I dream of a day when all these items carry made in Telangana and made in India labels. I also want to see a day when people in other countries use mobile phones and cameras, they carry made in Telangana and made in India stickers," he said.

Claiming that the UPA government, during last 10 years, lifted 15 crore people out of poverty and empowered poor through revolutionary schemes like rural employment guarantee, food security and right to education, he said if UPA came to power in 2014, it will give three more powers to people.

Gandhi said the Congress would ensure a house for every poor, free healthcare to poor on the lines of a scheme implemented by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh, and old age pension to every senior citizen.

He said if the UPA came to power, the first task would be to pass a bill in parliament for 33 percent reservation for women in legislative bodies.

The women self-help movement, which is strong in Andhra Pradesh, would be extended to other states and 2,000 police stations would be set up exclusively for women, he added.