Rahul Gandhi says BJP leaders in Telangana queuing up to join Congress, winds up three-day tour

HYDERABAD: Comparing BJP leaders in Telangana with ''Bollywood heroes,'' former AICC president Rahul Gandhi on Friday at a rally said those (BJP leaders) who used to swagger around earlier are now queuing up to join the Congress party.

The Gandhi scion wrapped up his three-day whirlwind tour to the state touching upon various issues including better support prices to farmers and ''BRS-BJP-AIMIM alleged nexus'' and local issues regarding state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL).

Speaking at different meetings in Nizamabad and Jagtial districts, Gandhi, invoking the Telangana sentiment, said it was his mother and former AICC president Sonia Gandhi who created the state and had she not supported it, the new southern state would not have been formed.

''Here (in Telangana), the fight is between Congress and BRS. Earlier, BJP leaders used to swagger around here like Bollywood heroes. They did not even realise that four wheels of their vehicle came off. Today, BJP leaders are queuing up to join the Congress. We do not want them,'' he said.

''Sonia ji helped you in creating Telangana state and I can also say that had Sonia Gandhi not helped, then a separate Telangana would not have been formed. But, Sonia Gandhi ji did not want Dorala (feudal lords) Telangana but Prajala (people's) Telangana,'' he said trying to invoke the Telangana sentiment.

Addressing the rallies, during the party's ongoing 'Vijayabheri' Yatra in the state, he said the Congress, if it comes to power in the November 30 Assembly elections, will also ensure that farmers get Rs 500 more than the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for every crop they grow. Also, the Congress will ensure that turmeric farmers get Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 support price per quintal, Gandhi said.

The Congress will also revive sugar factories in the region, he added.

The former AICC chief reiterated that if voted to power, the Congress would undertake a caste census in India, including in Telangana.

He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not making public the data of the caste census done by the then Congress-led UPA regime. ''The Congress after coming to power in Delhi (at the Centre) will release the previous data and also conduct a new caste-based census,'' Gandhi said, adding the party will also get the caste census done in Telangana if elected to power.

Attacking the BRS, BJP and AIMIM, the Wayanad MP said they work in cahoots and the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led outfit supports the saffron party in Parliament.

Striking an emotional chord, Gandhi said his relationship with Telangana goes back from the times of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

He reiterated that the upcoming elections in the state is between Dorala (feudal lords) Telangana and Prajala (people's) Telangana. Alleging that the Telangana Chief Minister has indulged in massive corruption, Gandhi said there was no CBI, ED or IT inquiry against him, while there are cases against opposition leaders in the country.

This means the BJP ''protects'' the BRS and the saffron party, the BRS and the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM help each other, he said, adding the BJP, the BRS and AIMIM attack him. The upcoming elections are a fight between the ruling BRS and the Congress in Telangana, he said and exuded confidence that his party would defeat the saffron party in the upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and the BRS in Telangana.

People of Telangana thought there would be 'Janata Raj' (people's government) after the formation of Telangana but now there is ''one family rule'' and the state's wealth is controlled by one family, he said. The BRS government has to be defeated, he said and urged the people of Telangana to vote for the Congress in the elections.

The Congress party, which is hoping to come to power in Telangana, started its poll campaign for the November 30 Assembly elections in the state with Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, attacking the ruling BRS and BJP alleging that both the parties have a ''tacit understanding.''

They offered prayers at the historic Ramappa Temple in Mulugu district on October 18 before kickstarting the Congress campaign and launching the bus yatra 'Vijayabheri Yatra'.

Meanwhile, Gandhi, during a roadshow, stopped at a roadside eatery and tried his hand at making a dosa. He also gave some chocolates to children, Congress sources said.