With two weeks left until the Telangana Assembly elections, the verbal sparring between political leaders has intensified. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a strong stance against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a roadshow in Warangal East, Telangana. Gandhi characterized BJP and BRS as a unified force, claiming they support each other.
“BJP and BRS are a single power. One operates in Delhi, and the other in Telangana. They collaborate closely. I’ve witnessed in the Lok Sabha how BRS members act in unison with signals from the PM. Whether it’s GST, farmer’s rules, or demonetization, BRS is there for the PM,” stated Rahul Gandhi.
He asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi won’t be prominent in Telangana as Congress holds a dominant opposition position. Gandhi recalled BJP’s unsuccessful stint in Telangana, stating, “Congress punctured the tires of PM Modi’s vehicle in Telangana; now he won’t be visible here.”
Accusing the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) of aiding the BJP, Gandhi remarked, “Wherever Congress contests against BJP, AIMIM is there to help the BJP. They have different rates for different states, taking money from the BJP and contesting against Congress.”
Gandhi expressed his party’s objectives, emphasizing the removal of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao from power and the aim to topple Narendra Modi’s government in the 2024 Delhi elections.
The impending Assembly elections on November 30 appear to be a direct contest between BRS and Congress. In the 2018 elections, BRS (formerly TRS) secured 88 out of 119 seats with a 47.4 percent vote share, while Congress won 19 seats. Rahul Gandhi pledged to conduct a caste census once the Congress forms the state government, aiming for increased representation of Dalits, backward classes, and tribals in politics.
“When we form the government, our first step will be to hold a caste census in Telangana,” Gandhi stated. He accused BJP and BRS of favoring a select few and outlined Congress’s commitment to directing resources to the poor, contrasting their approach with the alleged preference for the affluent by BJP and BRS.
