Congress braces for tough fight with MIM

​Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said that the Congress party would give a tough contest on all seats from Old City of Hyderabad in next elections and would win at least 2-3 seats.

Speaking to media after reviewing arrangements for Congress president Rahul Gandhi's visit to Charminar to participate in the Commemoration Day of Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra on October 20, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Congress party would field strong candidates from all seats to give a serious competition. He admitted that the Congress never contested the elections seriously in the Old City due to its understanding with the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) in the past. 

He claimed that the recently conducted surveys have indicated Congress party's victory from at least 2-3 Assembly constituencies. Uttam slammed MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi for openly supporting the TRS and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. 

He asked Owaisi to explain the basis on which the MIM is supporting the TRS and seeking Muslim votes for the pink party. “Is MIM supporting K Chandrashekar Rao, because the TRS voted for the BJP candidates in the elections of President and Vice President of India, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha? 

MIM in favour of the TRS which always acted as an agent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP by supporting moves like GST and demonetisation which badly hurt poor Muslims of Old City?” he questioned.

He reiterated that voting for the TRS was like voting for the BJP. He said if Muslims of Telangana want to defeat Modi at the Centre, then they should defeat the TRS in the State by not voting for the pink party. He alleged that Chandrashekar Rao advanced the Assembly elections only to cheat the Muslim community. 

“Now he wants to go along with MIM and take Muslim votes. After winning the Assembly elections with the support of Muslims, the TRS would partner with the BJP for Lok Sabha elections. This is a reality and even the MIM knows this,” he added.
Giving details of Rahul Gandhi's visit, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Congress president would arrive in Hyderabad on a regular flight at 10.55 am and proceed to Charminar to attend Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra Commemoration Day meeting. He will confer the Sadbhavana Award to former Governor K Rosaiah and address the meeting. Later, Rahul will proceed to Bhainsa at 2.30 pm. 

After the public meeting at Bhainsa, he will fly to Kamareddy for another public meeting at 4 pm. AICC secretaries V Hanumantha Rao, NS Bose Raju and Saleem Ahmed, Hyderabad DCC President M Anjan Kumar Yadav, TPCC Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy, TPCC Minorities Dept chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail, Youth Congress president Anil Kumar Yadav and other leaders were also present.