Hyderabad: Senior TDP leader A. Revanth Reddy joined the Congress party in the presence of AICC Vice-President Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi on Tuesday.
Besides Revanth, 14 other TDP leaders including ex-ministers, ex-MLAs and ex-MLCs joined the Congress party. Two ex-MLAs of TRS and four prominent leaders of Osmania University JAC including Durgam Bhaskar also joined the Congress party on this occasion. They were formally inducted into the Congress party by Rahul Gandhi in the presence of AICC Incharge Secretary R.C. Khuntia, TPCC President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and other senior leaders of Telangana Congress.
After the formal joining, the Congress leaders later addressed a joint press conference at the AICC Headquarters.
Welcoming Revanth Reddy and other leaders into the Congress fold, Uttam Kumar Reddy hoped that their entry would strengthen the cause of forming real Telangana. He said Telangana State was formed in June 2014 after 60 years of struggle. “Weaker sections, farmers, women, students and youth had very high hopes that they would have a better quality of life in Telangana than they had in combined AP. In view of sacrifices made by students and youth, Sonia Gandhi took special interest and ensured formation of Telangana. Unfortunately, TRS came to power in 2014 elections. During the last three-and-half-years, not only the expectations of the people, especially weaker sections, have been shattered, but unprecedented level of corruption has occurred in Telangana wherein, thousands of crores have been looted from the public exchequer,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said basic human rights and democratic rights have been trampled upon by the TRS Government. “Nearly four crore people thought of getting a better quality of life, but it resulted in one family benefiting from and looting the new State. Hopes of the people have been dashed. Now they are disappointed,” he said adding that the Congress party was all set to return to power in 2019 elections and it was evident with the entry of dynamic leaders from other parties into the party fold.
Addressing a press conference later, Khuntia informed that Rahul Gandhi has welcomed Revanth Reddy and all other leaders into the Congress party. Calling Revanth Reddy a dynamic and selfless leader, he said his decision to join Congress in Telangana despite TDP being in power in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh State was unique. He said Congress president Sonia Gandhi granted statehood for Telangana. However, after coming to power in the new State in 2014 elections, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao worked only for the welfare of his family and did not honour any of the promises that he made with farmers, students and youth. Stating that TDP has vanished and other parties have no significance in the State, he said Congress is the only alternate to TRS in Telangana.
Khuntia said those who aspire for money and posts were joining BJP at the national level or TRS in Telangana. Therefore, those who are joining the Congress party at this juncture were real crusaders against rising corruption and communalism. He said Revanth Reddy has joined the Congress party without any conditions after resigning from the posts of Telangana TDP Working President and also the MLA. He said no assurances, whatsoever, were given to him or other leaders. He said many more leaders from other parties would soon join the Congress party.
Speaking on the occasion, Revanth Reddy said his decision to join Congress was not a regular switch-over from one party to the other. He said unlike other States, Telangana was not formed in normal circumstances. He said the formation of Telangana involved six decades of struggle and sacrifices by over 1500 people, especially students and youth. “Despite giving so many sacrifices the real objective of Telangana formation was not achieved due to KCR. He said Sonia Gandhi took a bold decision of granting statehood. She knew well that Congress would be routed out in Andhra Pradesh. Despite a clear political loss, she gave Telangana to fulfil the dreams of students, unemployed youth, farmers and other sections of the society. Just like a mother, she thought that a poor student from a village will gain if he gets admission in Osmania University. But KCR shattered all those dreams,” he said.
Revanth Reddy said TRS Government did not even prepare the complete list of over 1500 martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Telangana. He said more than 20 lakh students, who participated in statehood movement, were denied Fee Reimbursement. About 10 lakh jobless youth, who gave preference to statehood agitation than focussing on their careers, were kept deprived of jobs. None of families of over 3,400 farmers who committed suicide under TRS regime got any help from KCR Government. He said the Chief Minister even failed to give any assurance to farmers to prevent suicides. “KCR constructed a Rs. 1,000 crore palace on 10 acres of land in the heart of the city for himself. Purchased a television channel, newspapers and made other assets. He remained focussed on the welfare and growth of his own family. He is openly looting the Telangana State,” he said adding that the leaders who openly opposed Telangana formation were made ministers by KCR.
“Congress party gave Telangana and only this party can develop it. I joined the Congress to fulfil the real aspirations of Telangana’s martyrs. Rahul Gandhi is bound to become the next Prime Minister of India and together we will turn the real dream of Telangana into a reality,” he said.
AICC SC Cell Chairman Koppula Raju, AICC Secretaries V. Hanumantha Rao, Madhu Yashki Goud and Dr. G. Chinna Reddy, MLA Dr. J. Geetha Reddy, TPCC Vice-President Dr. Mallu Ravi and other senior leaders were also present on the occasion. (NSS)