New Delhi: With assembly elections in Telangana just a few months away, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge held an important strategy meeting with the state leaders and others at the party headquarters on Tuesday.
Before coming to party headquarters, Kharge met Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence.
Congress strategist Sunil Kanugolu was also present in the meeting with Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
The meeting at the party headquarters began on Tuesday afternoon where Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, party General Secretary KC Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik, State Incharge Manikrao Thakre, State Unit Chief A Revanth Reddy were also present.
According to a party leader, the meeting was being held to discuss the poll preparedness of Congress in Telangana and decide on a strategy for the state.
Kharge took to Twitter and said: “People of Telangana are yearning for change. They are looking towards the Congress party. The Congress party is ready to take on any challenge. Together, we will usher a brighter future for Telangana, based on shared democratic values and all-around social welfare.”
The meeting comes a day after several rebel Bharath Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders joined Congress after meeting Kharge and Rahul Gandhi at party headquarters , including former minister Jupally Krishna Rao and former MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy.
After a three-hour long meeting, State Incharge Manikrao Thakre said: “We discussed how to proceed for the elections and what issues should be taken forward.”
He said that they (central leadership) listened to everyone’s suggestions and based on these discussions things will be taken forward.
He said that there is resentment among the public against the Telangana government as the promises made by the state government have not been fulfilled.
“Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has looted the money of the people for himself, his family and for his party. This money belongs to people. That is why people of Telangana are angry with him,” he said.
Thakare said that the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi gave separate state status to Telangana after listening to the voice of the people.
He said in Telangana there is a large population of SC, ST, and OBC who are struggling.
“The reason why Sonia Gandhi made it a separate state was to alleviate poverty. However, after 10 years, the condition of the people has not changed,” he said.
He said this is the reason why all leaders and workers should come together, and go to the people. “Telangana Congress has the responsibility to spread the message to every house about what they are going to do with them after coming to power,” he said.
He said that Congress will bring a path of good progress for Telangana.
He also accused the BRS and the BJP of joining hands in Telangana and in every state, even in Maharashtra, wherever the Congress party is strong, efforts are being made to help BJP there also, he said.
“BJP is being helpedin the entire country wherever they feel they can harm Congress. So we understand that there are our farmer brothers, for whom the message of Congress has to be conveyed to them. For making a program for women, for youth, for OBCs, for every community in OBC, for minorities, we have been instructed to focus on these issues,” he said.
“Rahul Gandhi clearly said that all the leaders and workers should work together in Telangana for the upcoming elections. BRS has to be defeated. That is why, I want to assure that the Congress government will form the government in Telangana because people want it,” he said.
He said that Rahul Gandhi has instructed us to leave our differences behind and work for a united cause.
Assembly election will take place in Telangana in December this year.
–IANS
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