Rahul Gandhi promises Special Status for Andhra Pradesh, if INDIA bloc elected to power

KADAPA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi assured that if the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) came to power in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Andhra Pradesh would be granted Special Category Status for a period of 10 years.

Addressing a public meeting in Kadapa on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi paid homage to former Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy. He dedicated most of his speech to speaking about YSR's policies and relations with him. He also referred to the APCC President and Congress candidate from Kadapa YS Sharmila, YSR's daughter, as his younger sister.

Rahul Gandhi emphasized the familial bond between YSR and his family, stating, "In politics, there are various types of relationships, but there are also familial bonds. YSR was akin to my father, Rajiv Gandhi's brother. Their connection transcended politics and extended to their personal lives for a long time. Following my father's demise, YSR became my mentor."

He credited YSR with showing the path not only to Andhra Pradesh but to the entire nation, citing YSR's padayatra as the inspiration behind his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Rahul Gandhi revealed that YSR encouraged him to undertake a nationwide padayatra, emphasizing the importance of directly understanding people's problems, aspirations, and sufferings.

Further, Rahul Gandhi highlighted the ideology of 'Nafrat kay bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan' (a shop of love in the marketplace of hatred), attributing it to YSR. He lamented the absence of YSR's politics of welfare, social justice, and people-centric governance in Andhra Pradesh today, accusing the current administration of being driven by revenge politics.

While YSR once effectively represented Andhra's interests in Delhi, the current scenario painted a different picture, with the state seemingly under the sway of what he termed the BJP's "B-Team"—Babu, Jagan, and Pawan. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing his control over agencies such as the CBI and ED, had remote control over these leaders.

Regrettably, he said that the voice of Andhra Pradesh in Delhi had been stifled. Rahul Gandhi emphasized the gap between YSR's values and the BJP's ideology. He pointed out that Jagan Mohan Reddy couldn't openly oppose the BJP due to ongoing corruption allegations against him. He noted a similar predicament for Chandrababu Naidu.

He emphasized the importance of reinstating Andhra Pradesh's voice in the nation's capital, stressing the necessity of asserting the state's interests on the national stage.

He said that the promises made with Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation remained unfulfilled. They included Special Category Status and national project status for the Polavaram Project and the Kadapa Steel Plant.

Stating that the INDIA coalition would form the next government at the Centre, Rahul Gandhi promised to grant Special Status to Andhra Pradesh for a decade, alongside national project status for Polavaram and establishing the Kadapa Steel Plant. Additionally, he outlined promises for the upcoming Assembly elections, including the waiver of crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh, free education from KG to PG, the filling of 2.25 lakh vacancies, and financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for housing construction.

At the national level, Rahul Gandhi said revolutionary guarantees were given to uplift the underprivileged. A comprehensive list of poor families would be compiled, with an annual assistance of Rs 1 lakh given to one woman per household, amounting to a monthly deposit of Rs 8,500 into her account. This transformative initiative was poised to alter the destinies of crores of families. While PM Modi made only 22-25 billionaires, Congress would make crores of lakh patis.

Furthermore, the Congress leader promised to waive crop loans and provide legal guarantees for the Minimum Support Prices (MSP). He also committed to filling 30 lakh vacancies within Central Government departments, doubling the remuneration for Anganwadi and Asha workers, and increasing the minimum wage for MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) workers from Rs 250 to Rs 400.

Rahul Gandhi urged the return of YSR's politics in Andhra Pradesh, advocating for a government that empathizes with the marginalized and cannot be subdued. He endorsed Sharmila's candidacy, asserting that she cannot be intimidated by Prime Minister Modi. He called upon the people to vote for her to represent them in the Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi also clarified that the Congress Government had never implicated YSR in any CBI chargesheet, attributing such actions to others.