Cong confidence in Telangana rests on united leadership, six 'guarantees'

NEW DELHI: Even as the Congress is holding back to back meetings to finalise its candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Telangana, the party is hopeful that it will cross the halfway mark in the 119-member assembly and form the government in the state.

Congress leaders feel that the party’s guarantees in the poll bound southern state is playing a major role in bringing the people towards it for the first time, who had earlier in two assembly elections voted for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now Bharat Rashtra Samithi) as they are fed up of the alleged corruption in the state.

A party leader, wishing not to be named, said that the Congress is gaining ground in the southern state very rapidly as its popularity has increased. This was the reason why an internal survey has pointed out that it can form the government easily if the party leaders and workers unite and push for victory together.

The party leader said that even during the CEC meeting in the national capital, former party chief Rahul Gandhi appealed to all the state leaders to work unitedly ahead of the elections so that the BRS and the BJP do not get any chance to deny it victory.

He said that Rahul Gandhi will be visiting the state on July 17 and from July 18 to 20 he will be participating in a bus yatra across the state, which will also boost the morale of the cadres. During the bus yatra, Rahul Gandhi is likely to address several public meetings.

The party leader said that Rahul Gandhi’s visit is being planned in the backdrop of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee screening committee convening a meeting at the Delhi war room on Sunday to finalise the list of candidates, which the party leadership is all set to approve soon.

During the CEC on Friday, which was chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and many senior senior leaders, a consensus was built on 70 out of 119 seats. However, the rest of the seats will be discussed in the screening committee meeting and it will then be sent to the leadership for a final call.

The party leader stated that the reason for the growing popularity in the state is the aggression in the party cadres and the six guarantees announced by Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the state at a public meeting during her visit last month.

The former Congress president said that under “Mahalakshmi” -- the first of the six guarantees -- Rs 2,500 financial assistance per month will be given to women in Telangana, gas cylinder at Rs 500, and free travel for women in state transport buses.

The other five “guarantees” announced by the Congress, include those for the state’s farmers, poor families and students. Under the “Rythu Bharosa” scheme, the Congress promised an annual financial assistance of Rs 15,000 for farmers, Rs 12,000 per year to agriculture labourers, and a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal for paddy above the minimum support price.

The “Indiramma” housing scheme promises a piece of land and Rs 5 lakh for construction of a house for the homeless poor, besides a 250 square yard plot for a house for the families of martyrs in the state. The “Gruhajyothy” scheme promises 200 units of free electricity to each poor household, and a health insurance cover of up to Rs 10 lakh and Rs 4,000 pension to the poor under the “Cheyutha” scheme.

The “Yuva Vikasam” scheme offers Rs 5 lakh financial assistance to students from a poor background for pursuing higher education, besides establishment of Telangana International Schools in every block.

When asked if the party will bring some surprise guarantee like Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra announcing free education for students between classes 1 and 12 and a monthly scholarship ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 if her party comes to power, the leader said that something is being planned but we cannot reveal everything as of now.

The polling for the 119 member Telangana assembly is scheduled on November 30 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.