Striking an emotional chord, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday said “My heart is in agony seeing the plight of the people of Telangana. The development, and equitable political rule that people desired is not happening”.

In the last four and half years, the TRS Government has not delivered on the promises of “ Neellu (water), Nidhulu (Funds) and Niyamakalu (jobs), she said at a largely attended meeting of the Congress led Praja Front in Medchal on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

“I feel happy like a mother seeing her children after many years”, said Sonia Gandhi who is venerated as Telangana Thalli by the Congress, on her maiden visit to the State after its formation in 2014. “ I know the challenges we had to face in creating Telangana as a separate State. The interests of the people of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh were at our heart”.

However, “I feel pained seeing the plight of unemployed youth, neglected women of self help groups and farmers. She asked the gathering, how many of your dreams have been fulfilled or turned real?

Sonia Gandhi pointed out that the TRS Government has neglected the dalits, adivasis and underprivileged who constitute a large percentage of the population. Even the SHGs (Self Help Groups), whom I met in earlier visits and found to be doing very well have not been helped at all. “Often I would cite their success stories to people in other states for inspiration”.

Urging people not to trust those who don’t keep their word, Sonia Gandhi said without taking the name of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao “In the last four and half years, the state has been neglected like a child, while the rulers have taken care of themselves”.

Criticising the TRS Government, the former Cong(I) President said farmers are not just struggling but being forced to suicides, poor people are being denied the benefits of MNREGA.

The Cong(I) manifesto will address all the concerns neglected by the TRS government and give the people of state an all round development. She urged people to realise the strength of the vote and struggle for a separate state and use it to bring change by getting the alliance to power.

Political fallout: Stating that the Cong(I) had to pay a heavy political price for the tough decision taken by the UPA Government led by Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi said it was done solely in the interests of the aspirations of the people of the region.

Even for Andhra Pradesh, we made provisions for special status and incentives in the bill. “I want to assure spl status for AP and will fulfill all the provisions of the Act”.

The Cong(I) President, Rahul Gandhi told the gathering that Sonia Gandhi had stood solidly behind the struggle of the people of Telangana. I can proudly say that along with your sacrifices and struggle, Sonia Gandhi’s hand was clearly there in the State formation”.

Stating that the TRS rule of the last four and half years is going to end, Rahul said the Praja Front (Cong(I), TDP, CPI & TJS) reflects the voice of the youth, women and farmers, who are going to lead in this. The coming government will work for these sections and provide a democratic rule.

The State has been ruled by one man as per his whims and fancies and benefited his family.

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