HYDERABAD/VIJAYAWADA: Congress president Rahul Gandhi and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu will tour in Telangana on November 28 and 29.
Rahul Gandhi and Chandrababu Naidu, who exhibited bonhomie during their meeting earlier in New Delhi, will share the stage in poll-bound Telangana, as the arch-rivals joined hands to put an end to TRS rule. While it has been decided that Rahul-Babu duo will campaign in undivided Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar, Khammam and Hyderabad districts, the exact locations are yet to be finalised.
“Both Rahul Gandhi and Chandrababu Naidu have confirmed that they will be touring in Telangana on November 28 and 29. While undivided Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Greater Hyderabad regions have been selected for joint campaign, we will finalise the venues by Sunday. They will address public meetings and also participate in roadshows. All Grand Alliance parties have participated in Sonia Gandhi’s meeting sending signals of unity among all. This has gone down well with cadres of all parties. Naidu and Rahul ’s joint campaign will further galvanise our cadres and set stage for our victory,” said TTDP chief L Ramana.
TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, Telangana Congress in-charge R C Khuntia, TPCC campaign committee chief Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka will hold a meeting with TTDP senior leaders on Saturday night or Sunday to finalise Rahul-Chandrababu campaign schedule. In fact, the TRS leaders have been targeting Chandrababu Naidu more than Congress. Now not just Grand Alliance leaders, but political enthusiasts from all parties are eagerly waiting to see the response for the joint campaign of Rahul and Naidu.
Meanwhile, the announcement made by the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Telangana that the Congress will accord special category status (SCS) to the State after coming to power at the Centre has come as a shot in arm for the TDP to rubbish the criticism of Opposition parties over its alliance with the grand old party.
Though Naidu and other leaders are defending the alliance with Congress citing Rahul Gandhi’s assurance on SCS and Congress Working Committee’s (CWC) resolution, the TDP came under severe criticism from almost all Opposition parties in the State, who termed it “opportunistic politics.”
Sonia’s statement on SCS in Telangana is proved our commitment to the State, feel TDP leaders.
When contacted, Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said, “The TDP, despite opposing the Congress for the past four decades, has joined hands with the Congress in the larger interests of the State and nation. The BJP, which had promised to extend SCS to AP for a period of 10 years, betrayed the people of AP.” And now it is time for YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Pawan Kalyan and BJP leaders to persuade PM Modi to announce such a promise on SCS, Somireddy said.