Rahul, Naidu boost Telangana alliance
First joint address by two leaders gives fillip to opposition ahead of Assembly elections
The People’s Front, the grand alliance of opposition parties in Telangana, received a shot in the arm yesterday as Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam President N. Chandrababu Naidu for the first time addressed a joint election rally.
The leaders vowed to unseat the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government in the December 7 Assembly elections.
As the leaders of all constituents of the grand alliance, including Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, Telangana Jana Sena president Prof Kodanda Ram, popular folk singer Ghaddar and Dalit leader Manda Krishna Madiga shared the stage at the mammoth rally in Khammam, Rahul and Naidu went all out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
‘A historic necessity’
“This rally marks a historic beginning of the opposition unity against the BJP at the national level. First the opposition alliance will defeat the B team of the BJP in Telangana and then we will defeat the A team in Delhi,” Rahul said.
“From your great enthusiasm it is clear that the opposition alliance is going to form the next government in Telangana,” he added.
Naidu said the TDP joining hands with the Congress and forming a grand alliance was a historic necessity.
Referring to the rally in Khammam he said, “this will be remembered in history as the beginning of opposition coming together to rout out the BJP government.”
Rahul ridiculed the statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there was no difference between Congress and TRS.
“It was TRS which supported every bill [initiated by] Modi in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha while Congress was fighting against the BJP. TRS supported Modi’s demonetisation, his candidacy for the BJP in the presidential election and the GST,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Targeting the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) he said TRS and MIM both wanted Modi to return to power while the opposition alliance wanted to defeat the BJP.
Naidu tried to allay fears he was out to establish his supremacy in Telangana.
“I never opposed Telangana state but I only wanted a fair bifurcation”, he said. “I am chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and I am not contesting any election here”.
From your great enthusiasm it is clear that the opposition alliance is going to form the next government in Telangana.”
Rahul Gandhi | Congress leader