Telangana election: Rahul promise `4,000 monthly benefits to women

Hyderabad: Women in Telangana can benefit up to Rs 4,000 if Congress is voted to power in the November 30 assembly polls, by way of social pension, savings on LPG cylinder and free travel in government buses, AICC former chief Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday. Addressing a women gathering at Ambatipalli village near Medigadda (Laxmi) barrage of Kaleshwaram project, he also said the Congress has decided to “give back” all the money allegedly “looted” by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. “Telangana women were the most affected by the loot of the chief minister here. The Congress party has decided to deposit the amount looted by the chief minister in your bank accounts,” Rahul said.

He said, as the first step, every month, Rs 2,500 will be deposited as social pension into women’s bank accounts. Also, Rs 1,500 will be saved as the Congress, if voted to power, will supply a LPG cylinder, which is now costing Rs 1,000, at Rs 500 and another Rs 1,000 by way of free travel on government buses. “With all these you will benefit Rs 4,000 every month. This is called Parajala sarkar (people’s government),” he said.

Alleging that Rs 1 lakh crore was looted in Telangana, the Gandhi scion said the BRS, BJP and MIM are contesting on one side in the upcoming polls even as the fight is between Congress and the KCR-led party. “MIM and BJP are supporting BRS. So you will have to support Congress fully to remove Dorala sarkar (feudal regime) and establish Parajala sarkar (people’s regime),” he said. Alleging that the Kaleshwaram Project has become like an “ATM” for KCR for making money, Rahul said in order to run this machine, all the families in Telangana would have to “shell out Rs 31,500 per annum till 2040”.