KCR’s whirldwind tour in Adilabad

• Addresses nine meetings, makes slew of promises
• Rao terms Adilabad ‘Kashmir of Telangana’
• 50 mines to be set up in Singareni; lakhs to get jobs
• Cong warned against making provocative statements
• Why should I apologise to settlers? KCR asks Ponnala

Adilabad: It was a rare feat of sorts for TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao who on Sunday made a whirlwind tour of Adilabad district by addressing ten public meetings. This was one of his busiest days in election campaign thus far. With around a week’s time left for culmination of campaign for elections to be held on April 30, TRS think-tank has devised this new election strategy wherein he will addressing around ten meetings, one in each assembly segment, per day for the next seven days. He launched a tirade against Union Minister Jairam Ramesh accusing him of meting out injustice to Telangana. “Jairam is a betrayer of Telangana,” he said.

Addressing meetings at Bhainsa, Nirmal, Ichoda, Adilabad, Utnoor, Kagaznagar, Asifabad, Bellampally and Mancherial in Adilabad district as part of election campaigning, Mr Rao recalled that he had quit his posts readily for the sake of Telangana. He warned the Congress leaders against making provocative statements. He said Telangana State was the result of a 14-year struggle and the dreams of the people would be realised only if TRS was voted to power.

Rao said the Congress leaders were indulging in vilification campaign. Terming TPCC chief Ponnala Laxmaiah a ‘Sannasi’, he said it was improper for him to say that he (KCR) was aspiring for power. He reminded the people that he had quit his posts several times earlier for Telangana. “Did the Congress leaders quit their posts at least once?” he questioned. He said he failed to understand the reason behind the demand of Ponnala thqt he should apologise to those who had come from Seemandhra and had settled in Telangana. He said they had come here to earn a living and TRS was not against them.

Urging the voters to vote only for TRS, KCR promised to set up around 50 underground mines in Singareni region which would provide job opportunities to lakhs of youth since experts pointed out that the coal reserves in the region would be sufficient for 200 more years. Rao promised to regularise all contract workers and improve the living conditions of Singareni staff who would be provided with all basic amenities at work place.

The TRS chief also promised to make Manchiryal a separate district and construct a NIMS like hospital in the town. The TRS would scrap the contract employees system and would solve the problem of power shortage within three years. He said TRS would ensure completion of all pending projects and transform Adilabad into a fertile and prosperous district within two-and-a-half years. Reiterating his promises of 125-sq. yard two bed room house, to every poor family, pension of Rs 1,000 for the aged and the widows and Rs 1,500 for the physically challenged, he said Adilabad which is known as ‘Kashmir of Telangana’ would be developed into a major tourist destination. “The district, which has abundant water resources, will be transformed into an agricultural hub,” he added.