Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has said party public meeting at Khilwat Grounds on Friday night was a grand success proving that the Congress has emerged as an alternate to MIM in the Old City of Hyderabad.
The TPCC said Khilwat was the first massive public meeting organised by the Congress in the Old City in the recent times. “Let me admit that we never thought of venturing into those areas due to our strategic alliance with the MIM. We had left those areas for MIM in the past on the assumption that it would cater to needs of people more independently. But later we realized that instead of serving those people, the MIM leaders were exploiting the poor Muslims for personal gains. Shockingly, they aligned with the BJP and other communal forces while targeting the Congress which nourished them at all stages. Their communal approach tarnished the image of the people of the Old City.
The TPCC chief said the Congress ventured into the Old City after conducting a thorough survey of needs and aspirations of people living there. It was not a mere political approach aimed at winning a few seats in GHMC elections. “We collected feedback from all the areas of Old City on the living conditions and difficulties being faced by people. We were shocked to learn that several areas in Old City lacked access to basic civic amenities and other needs like quality education and health. Thousands of local residents joined Friday’s road show held from Chandrayangutta, Falaknuma, Engine Bowli, Shalibanda, Aliabad, Lal Darwaza, Lad Bazar and they patiendly heard our speeches at Khilwat Grounds,” he said. Uttam Kumar Reddy said his party would further strengthen its base in the Old Ci