Rahul hits out at KCR, claims Telangana reeling under debt

KAMAREDDY (Telangana): Targetting caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Congress President Rahul Gandhi Saturday alleged 4,500 farmers have committed suicides in Telangana during the past four years, and claimed the state is reeling under a debt of Rs two lakh crore.

Speaking at a public meeting here as part of the campaign for the December 7 Assembly polls, he said KCR (as Rao is popularly known) neglected farmers and their problems but had spent Rs 300 crore of public money to construct a palatial bungalow in the state capital, referring to "Pragati Bhavan", the chief minister's residence.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and KCR have "friendship" adding Rao supports any decision of BJP.

"Now, MIM has joined KCR in helping Modi," he said but did not elaborate.

"Telangana farmers played an important role in the state formation. In the same Telangana, 4,500 farmers committed suicide in the past four years. Farmers seeking support price were handcuffed in the state.

"KCR pushed the state into debt. Telangana has now Rs two lakh crore debt. There is debt of Rs 2.60 lakh on every family in Telangana. Every citizen of Telangana carries a debt burden of Rs 60,000," the Congress president said. Gandhi alleged KCR had failed to exert pres- sure on the centre for setting up turmeric Board in Nizamabad.

KCR also failed to take steps to reopen Nizam Sugar Factory which was shut down in the past, he alleged.

Taking potshots at Modi and KCR, he said both the leaders indulge in corruption in the name of 'redesigning' projects.

"KCR is supporting BJP in Telangana. Whatever policy decision is taken by the BJP government (at the centre), KCR supports it and stands by them," he added.

"Modi announced note ban and took out all the money from your pocket and gave it to Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya and Anil Ambani... Now along with KCR, MIM is also supporting Modi," the Congress leader charged.