Rahul Gandhi receives grand welcome at RGIA

SHAMSHABAD: National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who will tour Telangana for two days, received grand welcome by TPCC President Revanth Reddy, Batti Vikramarka and other Congress senior leaders at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Friday.

On the occasion, Rahul Gandhi who arrived at the Shamshabad Airport held a meeting at the VIP lounge with Revanth Reddy, Maheshwar Reddy, Ashok Kumar and other senior leaders to discuss the situation in Telangana.

All arrangements are in place for the visit of AICC leader Rahul Gandhi's at Warangal on Friday evening. It is to mention here that the AICC leader will arrive in Hyderabad at 4:30 pm and will reach Warangal by chopper. He will take part in Rythu Sanghrsha Sabha at St Gabriel's Arts College grounds. Later he will leave to Hyderabad by 8 and will stay at a hotel. On Saturday he will pay tributes to the former chief minister Sajeevaiah. He will chair meeting with all the senior party leaders and will leave for Delhi from Shamshabad at 5 pm.

Can Rahul Gandhi mesmerise the people in Telangana to bring back the Congress on winning track could well be a million dollar question. But the TPCC is indeed buoyant that their stalwart leader's public meeting in Warangal on May 6 could well revitalise the party cadres in the run up to the 2023 elections. Even though the grand 137-year-old Congress has a dedicated vote bank in Telangana, the one-upmanship approach of the leaders drove the party to the brink. As this was not enough, party hoppers turned worsen the situation. However, the cadres appear to be upbeat since A Revanth Reddy took over as the TPCC president. Amid bickering and setbacks within party ranks, the State leadership hopes to revive the party's chances in the next elections with Rahul Gandhi's public meeting, christened as Rythu Sangharshana Sabha.

If one goes by the top leadership of the Congress, it assumes Warangal as the party's lucky mascot. They recall the BC Garjana Sabha held in 2002, which was addressed by Sonia Gandhi. The Congress leaders believe that it set the tone for their return to power at the Centre and State in 2004. What that augurs well for the Congress is that it had successfully created hype around the May 6 Rahul Gandhi's public meeting. The party made it even more interesting by stating that Rahul would announce the 'Warangal Declaration' that serves as a tramline for the future course of action in the run up to elections next year. It may be noted here that 'Warangal Declaration' is a popular phrase in this part of the State that reminds the 1997 'Warangal Declaration' organised by the All India People's Resistance Forum (AIPRF) which set the tone for the second phase of the separate State movement.

On the other hand, the Congress leadership also made sure to get the media and public attention by sending its top leaders almost every day to Warangal in the name of inspecting public meeting arrangements. Speakin zg to The Hans India, Warangal DCC president Naini Raender Reddy said: "Warangal is fortunate to hold Rahul Gandhi's meeting. This will set the tone for the Congress' juggernaut ahead of 2023 elections. Apart from the main dais, we have erected two more daises – one for the kin of farmers who committed suicide and the other one for the cultural activity."

Telangana PCC president A Revanth Reddy on Thursday slammed the TRS and BJP parties, alleging that they 'cheated' farmers of the State by making false promises to them. The Congress leader told the media that the two parties were 'playing dramas' when farmers were demanding to buy paddy from them. Referring to the visit of AICC leader Rahul Gandhi to Telangana from Friday, he said Rahul is coming to the State to highlight the callous and negligent attitude of the State and the Central governments towards farmers through the public meeting being held at Warangal.

Reddy said Congress would make a declaration about the steps to be initiated by the party for the welfare of farmers of the State in the meeting. He exuded confidence that Congress would come to power in the State 'at any cost', adding that it would show development in the State after coming to power and repeat the golden rule of the party witnessed before 2004.

The Congress leader promised that the party will give all subsidies to farmers. "All farmers will take part in the Warangal meeting. Every booth in-charge will bring at least nine people to the meeting. Targeting Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Reddy said there was no limit for corruption of KCR and family. He alleged huge corruption in the construction of Yadadri temple. He charged that KCR's family members were involved in Rs 2,000-crore construction of the temple. "Corruption took place in the construction of Telangana martyrs' memorial. The memorial construction was started with an estimate of Rs 62 crore; the work is not complete even after spending Rs 100 crore."