Telangana suffered under TRS rule, KCR cared only for family: Sonia Gandhi

Hyderabad, Nov 23: In a blistering attack on the TRS, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday said K Chandrashekar Rao-led government in Telangana had neglected dalits, adivasis, minorities, backward classes, women and students. She said KCR only cared about himself and his family.

Sonia Gandhi, on her maiden visit to Telangana after the formation of the state in June 2014, recalled the problems the Congress party faced due to its decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. She also seemed to take credit fot hte creation of Telangana. Now, KCR has also been doing the same, he has claimed in the past that it was due to agitation by him that the then UPA government at the Centre agreed for the creation of Telangana.

"Chief Minister Rao has cared only for himself and his own people leaving the child (Telangana) to suffer. Dalits, adivasis, minorities, backward classes, women and students were all neglected. The chief minister should tell us what promises he made to them and he kept," she said, while addressing a public meeting at Medchal on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

"While passing the bifurcation bill in Parliament, we had promised to take care of all the interests of Andhra Pradesh, including granting of special category status. We are still committed to this promise and once the Congress comes back to power at the Centre, we shall grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh," she asserted.

Farmer suicides were taking place and agriculturists were still facing water scarcity, the UPA chairperson said.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi attacked Chandrashekar Rao, saying "only one man ran Telangana for the last five years. He did whatever came to his mind for his family". "I am asking what did the TRS government do for Dalits, tribals, backward classes...what promises were fulfilled?" he said and predicted that the TRS rule was all set to end.

He said the Congress had joined hands with other like-minded opposition parties to form an alliance to fulfill the dreams of all sections of people including farmers, students, youth and women. "We must end the dictatorship and single family rule in the state," he asserted.

Leaders of parties in the Congress-led grand alliance - M Kodandaram of Telangana Jana Samithi, Telugu Desam Party's Telangana president L Ramana, Communist Party of India state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy - as well as state Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, also addressed the rally.