Rahul Gandhi In Telangana

Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

Three important facts emerge from Congress President Rahul Gandhi's Telangana tour. He tried projecting PM Modi as an embodiment of corruption. Then, he also accused KCR of being involved in corruption as a specialist of redesigning. Thirdly, he hinted obliquely at a pact with the Telugu Desam party.

In sync with this, it appears that TDP supremo and AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu's daughter-in-law and minister Lokesh's wife, Brahmani was sent as an official representative to the interaction Rahul Gandhi had with industrialists in the state capital.

It appears that Rahul Gandhi focused more on PM Modi, the NDA government and Rafale deal than local issues. Without referring to KCR by name, Rahul cited the non-fulfillment of promises including the unkept one on two-bedroom houses. In his interaction with editors, he seemed to have lent some clarity on the subject of his marriage. His statement that he was wedded to the Congress and its cause suggests that he would remain a bachelor.

Rahul Gandhi kept the door open for an alliance with the TDP by saying that such pacts were left to local leaders. The idea that the Congress and TDP were cosying up to each other, got strengthened further with Brahmani's presence at Rahul's meet with industrialists and businessmen. Contrast this with Chandrababu Naidu's earlier statements accusing Sonia Gandhi of being "Italian Mafia", describing the Congress as a useless party, that it denied AP its due and so on. Would Brahmani have attended a meeting of such a party without due approval from Chandrababu and Lokesh? Two other TDP leaders, TG Bharat and JC Pawan also attended the meet, further lending credence to the idea of the two parties coming together.

It remains to be seen whether the pact between the TDP and Congress would be a direct one or whether it would suit TDP in some constituencies or inconvenience the YSRCP in others.

In 1982, NT Rama Rao established the Telugu Desam party as an alternative to the Congress and in direct opposition to it. Chandrababu, his son-in-law and Brahmani, NTR's grand daughter, both have come in for sharp criticism from observers who feel that the legendary actor turned politician must be turning in his grave at their actions. Will Balakrishna be honest enough to portray the Congress party as the arch-villain in the events of the time in NTR's biopic?

Coming back to Rahul Gandhi's Telangana tour, the last meeting seemed well-attended and boosted the confidence of the party cadres. At the same time, it provided an opportunity to relative newbies to the party like Revanth Reddy. But some of the other senior leaders were missing, which raised quite a few eyebrows.

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