HYDERABAD: Khammam, on Wednesday, was witness to a new chapter in the course of Telugu politics. Ending a 37-year-old rivalry, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu shared a dias and declared that their union was a ‘historic necessity’ not just for Telangana, but for the entire country. “People’s Front was formed not just for Telangana election, but to save India,” claimed Rahul Gandhi.
“First, it will defeat KCR in Telangana and then Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi,” he said to a round of thunderous applause from supporters. While Rahul attacked TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao for failing to deliver on promises made to Telangana, his primary target remained the same -- Modi.
“Modi has destroyed all institutions in this country -- the Supreme Court, the RBI and the CBI -- and KCR supported him on all occasions,” Rahul said. “Modi is snatching land from farmers by changing the Land Acquisition Bill and still KCR is supporting him. Whenever Congress fought against NDA in Parliament, TRS stood by BJP. Be it during our fight against demonetisation and land acquisition bill, or when we moved the no-confidence motion, TRS supported BJP. By doing this, KCR is betraying people of Telangana.”
Chandrababu Naidu, who spoke earlier, recalled why he broke up with Modi and BJP. “The NDA government failed to fulfil the promises made to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It failed to set up the Bayyaram Steel Factory and Tribal University promised to Telangana and Special Category Status promised to Andhra Pradesh under the Reorganisation Act,” he said. Naidu reiterated that he had never spoken or acted against the interest of Telangana or its people.