Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka kickstart Telangana campaign from Mulugu

Hyderabad: Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Vadra Gandhi visited Ramappa Temple in Mulugu for the first time, and flagged off the party’s Vijayabehri Yatra in Telangana.

The senior Congress leaders inquired about the ancient sculptures and took blessings of the deity before starting their three-day Telangana yatra, as part of their campaigning for upcoming Telangana State elections on November 30.

Rahul’s tour of the state will see him travel in an open bus and also greet and interact with people while walking on foot along the yatra route. Priyanka Gandhi will be part of the campaigning for a day and will leave for Delhi on Wednesday night.

The route map

The Vijayabehri yatra route map will start from Mulugu and cross into Warangal, Pedapalli, Karimnagar and Nizamabad. These districts have been chosen by senior members of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) such as president Revanth Reddy, and the All India Congress Committee in charge Manik Rao Thackeray. The committee also took inputs from other Telangana leaders including Bhatti Vikramarka, Sridhar Babu, Sitakka and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy who suggested that this area must be covered as the Congress base is ‘weak’ in the region.

“These areas of northern Telangana were not covered in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The local leadership decided that Rahul Gandhi must visit these areas to boost the image of the Congress party,” a senior Congress leader explained. “The crowd at Mulugu were very enthusiastic to come and see the Gandhi siblings,” said another Congress leader.

Meeting unemployed youth

During his padyatra in Bhupalpally, Rahul is expected to meet unemployed youth and discuss their issues. Many youths, who have reached out to the Telangana Congress, via their student wing and through various leaders have raised their demand for jobs in the state.

Arrangements for stay for all the Congress leaders have been made at Bhupalpally. The electricity department quarters will be made available for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other leaders who will stay overnight with him in the district.

Scathing attack at BRS

In a strongly worded speech, Rahul Gandhi addressed the crowd, emphasizing that the battle in the Telangana Elections is primarily between the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the Congress. He pointed out that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not a significant contender in Telangana. Gandhi asserted, "However, the BJP and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen are collaborating to support the BRS. If you vote for the BRS, you are essentially supporting the BJP. The Congress party's fight against the BJP is an ideological struggle, and we will continue to stand our ground. The Congress party will not yield to the BJP's demands, but it's evident that BJP leaders have influence over the BRS party. Rahul questioned the absence of income tax and enforcement directorate cases against Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and in the context of recent parliamentary actions, such as the farmer's bill and GST, he raised concerns about the perceived alignment between BRS and BJP."

Both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi reiterated the six guarantees for the people of Telangana. Priyanka Gandhi urged the citizens to make informed choices in the upcoming elections, emphasizing the importance of selecting leaders dedicated to their welfare. She cited the example of a student's suicide, highlighting issues with the paperwork process.

Furthermore, Priyanka Gandhi called attention to the presence of land and mine mafias in the state, urging voters to support those who would safeguard their properties and create income opportunities. During her extended address, she pointed out the financial challenges faced by government universities, contrasting them with the thriving private universities in the state.

The three-day yatra aims to hold meetings in Northern Telangana, as the Congress party strives to bolster its presence in preparation for the forthcoming Telangana elections.