Congress leaders belonging to Backward Classes on Sunday praised AICC President Sonia Gandhi for giving importance to the BC leaders in the party.
Addressing the meeting organised by the Congress BC Welfare Department at Gandhi Bhavan here, the BC leaders including the PCC chiefs Ponnala Lakshmaiah (Telangana), Dr N Raghuveera Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), Rajya Sabha MP V Hanumantha Rao, BC Department President J Chitranjan Das and others said that the Congress party has proved that its sincerity towards the BCs through the recent nominations made to the PCCs. Ponnala claimed that the BCs would support the Congress party in both the regions in the ensuing elections.
Addressing the gathering, Raghuveera Reddy promised that adequate number of BCs would be given party tickets in the ensuing elections. However, he said loyalty towards the party and public service would be major criteria for selection of candidates.
Hanumantha Rao said that by nominating BCs as the head of both the PCCs, the Congress party has proved that it believes in practical steps and not in fake promises. He alleged that TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu made a fake promise of giving 150 tickets to BCs in next elections. However, no promises made to the BCs were ever fulfilled by the TDP.
VHR also condemned cine star Pawan Kalyan for criticising the Congress party. He alleged Pawan was working as a tool into the hands of some communal forces. He said Pawan did not speaking anything about the corruption of YSRCP President Jagan Mohan Reddy. (INN)