Telangana fell to ‘reckless TRS hands’, Sonia says
Rousing welcome for Congress leader in first visit since formation of Telangana
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The overwhelming response for United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson and top Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, by supporters in Telangana at her maiden rally in the state, has come as a much-needed boost for the Congress-led Grand Alliance of opposition parties in the run up to the December 7 Assembly polls.
Sonia, who shared the stage with her son and Congress President Rahul Gandhi at a rally at Medchal, 40 kilometres from Hyderabad, was given a rousing reception at a “thanksgiving” meeting organised by the Congress party, as a mark of gratitude to her for helping to create the Telangana state about five years ago.
Sonia was repeatedly referred to as “Telangana Talli” (mother of Telangana) and “Soniamma” by speaker after speaker. She likened her visit to “a mother meeting her children after a long gap”.
Decrying TRS rule
It was Sonia’s first visit here since the formation of Telangana state and the defeat of the Congress party in the state.
“We accepted the demand for Telangana state, knowing fully well that the Congress party would have to suffer heavily and pay a big political price,” she said.
Lashing out at KCR’s fourand-a half-year-old rule, Sonia termed it “autocratic family rule”.
“Look at how the state that we fought for fell into the hands of the reckless TRS,” she said.