New Delhi: The Congress is planning to deploy Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Telangana on October 31, the martyrdom of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, to take on the ruling BRS. “Yes, we have invited Priyanka to the state on October 31 when a massive rally is being planned,” AICC in-charge of Telangana Manikrao Thakre told ETV Bharat.
According to party insiders, the venue of Priyanka’s rally is being planned not very far from the Medak Lok Sabha seat, which the former Prime Minister represented from 1980 till the day she was assassinated in 1984. The party insiders further said that during her speech, Priyanka is likely to make a scathing attack on the ruling BRS, particularly Chief Minister KCR, who represents the Gajwel Assembly segment under the Medak parliamentary seat.
“The Medak area used to be a stronghold of the Congress till 2000, but later it came under the influence of the newly formed BRS, formerly known as TRS. Priyanka’s rally could be held either in Nagarkurnool or Nalgonda keeping in mind the Assembly polls, but will not be very far from Medak to send a message to the ruling party,” an AICC functionary said.
Priyanka, who started off the party’s campaign in Telangana by announcing a slew of promises on May 8, had kicked off the party’s bus yatra on October 18 along with Rahul Gandhi. During her recent campaigns, she has been targeting the ruling BRS as well as the BJP saying the two parties are hand in glove and had been taking on the Central government as well.
With her October 31 rally, the party is also hoping to send a message to the voters for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in which the Congress hopes to corner a big share of the 17 seats in the state. Already AICC observers are touring the 17 parliamentary constituencies to gauge the mood of the public and identify potential candidates.
Keeping the 2024 poll battle in view, the Congress has now started clubbing the BRS, BJP and the AIMIM as one block, which is working together to defeat the grand old party and has a secret pact for the next Lok Sabha polls. “The BRS, BJP and AIMIM are working together to defeat the Congress. They contest separately in the Assembly, but have a secret pact for the 2024 elections. They will come together officially after the Assembly polls,” Telangana Congress chief Revanth Reddy said.
“We said the same about BJP and JD-S in Karnataka and it has turned out to be true. But, the Congress is strong and will defeat this combination in Telangana also. This combination looted the state for 10 years, but now we will set the system right in the state,” he said.
