B-Babu,J-Jagan, P-Pawan Kalyan, all 3 are B team of BJP: Rahul Gandhi in Kadapa

Kadapa: Expanding BJP as 'B for Babu, J for Jagan, P for Pawan', Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the regional parties in Andhra Pradesh including TDP, Jana Sena Party, and the YSRCP are part of the B-team of the ruling BJP.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi visited Kadapa to campaign for Congress MP candidate YS Sharmila for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

As Saturday is the last day of political campaigning, Rahul Gandhi visited Andhra Pradesh just two days before the polling to give a boost to the party especially Sharmila who is fighting against her cousin YS Avinash Reddy from the YSRCP in Kadapa.

Post the death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2009, it was perhaps only now that a leader from the Gandhi family visited the state after many years. He addressed a public meeting supporting YS Sharmila, daughter of Rajasekhara Reddy, who merged her YSR Telangana Party with Congress recently.

Family legacy with Congress

YS Rajasekhara Reddy who joined Indian National Congress in 1978 won the elections that year from Pulivendula.

He was appointed the state president of the Congress party by Indira Gandhi and won from the Kadapa constituency for four terms in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabha. Rajasekhara Reddy led the Congress party to victory in the 2004 Assembly elections and served as the 14th chief minister of erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009.

Addressing Sharmila as chelli (sister), Rahul Gandhi asked the public to pledge to send Sharmila to the Parliament for the development of the state. “No ED or CBI can withstand Sharmila. She has the qualities of her father YS Rajasekhara Reddy who is a great inspiration,” said Rahul Gandhi.

‘YSR inspired me to start Bharat Jodo Yatra’

Remembering the late Rajasekhara Reddy, he said, “YS Rajasekhara Reddy was my father’s friend for a very long time. His padayatra inspired me to take up Bharat Jodo Yatra.”

“Rajasekhara Reddy’s politics for the poor, development and social justice are not there anymore. Now, all we can see is BJP in Andhra: B for Babu (TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu), J for Jagan and P for Pawan Kalyan (Jana Sena Party founder Pawan Kalyan) and the remote control of these three are with Narendra Modi,” he told the crowd.

“Congress will come to power in 2024 in Andhra Pradesh and we will fulfil all the promises. We will give 10 years of Special Status and deliver the Kadapa steel plant and the Polavaram project,” he promised to the public.

He further said the regional leaders are under Modi’s control as the latter has ED, CBI and other agencies. The Gandhi scion said Rajasekhara Reddy was like a brother to his father Rajiv Gandhi and both leaders shared a personal friendship also.

Canvassing for party candidates for the Assembly polls in the southern state, he promised to waive select farm loans, free education from kindergarten to post graduation, Rs 5 lakh housing loan for poor people and others. Also, on assuming power at the Centre, Gandhi promised to take two revolutionary steps never done before, which include making a list of all the poor people of India and a woman from each of those families will be credited with Rs 1 lakh per annum.

He also promised to raise Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) wages from Rs 250 to Rs 400 per day.

Further, Gandhi promised minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, 30 lakh government jobs and doubling the income of Anganwadi and Asha workers, among others.

Sharmila takes aim at Jagan

Also present at the meeting, Congres leader Sharmila, during her speech to the public, lambasted her brother and chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and how he has been protecting Avinash Reddy in the face of allegations of involvement in the murder of their uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi and Sharmila paid tributes at YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s memorial in Idupulapaya, YSR Kadapa district.