Congress will bounce back in Telangana: Revanth
Anumula Revanth Reddy, working president, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) and Malkajgiri MP, embarked on the Rajiv Rythu Bharosa Padayatra (a 150-kilometre walkathon) from Achampeta to Hyderabad to protest against farm laws enacted by the BJP government at the Centre and highlight the problems that farmers are facing in Telangana. Bizz Buzz met him on the seventh day of his padayatra, which has been drawing huge crowds. “It’s a different experience. People are coming to me with their basic problems such as the denial of oldage pensions, steep rise in prices of essential commodities, lack of development in villages and lack of support for farmers. This exposes the inefficiency of the KCR government,” Revanth Reddy, who lost considerable weight, tells P Madhusudhan Reddy in an exclusive interview at Raghaipally village in Veldanda Mandal of Nagarkurnool district
image for illustrative purpose
TPCC working president Revanth Reddy says that the fight will continue until the Centre rolls back farm laws
Sharmila's political entry is a game plan of KCR to divide anti-incumbency votes and deprive the Congress of those votes. Christians and Muslim minorities, who account for 15 per cent votes, won't go for BJP. The Congress already has a 30 per cent vote share. If these sections support the Congress, it will get an absolute majority in the next elections
You embarked on the Rajiv Rythu Bharosa Padayatra. How is the experience?
It's a different experience. More and more people are coming to me with their basic problems. Many of them appear like small problems, but their impact is huge on the poor. For instance, several people complained to me about the single pension rule implemented by the KCR government. If both husband and wife are eligible for the government's old-age pension, only one of the two is being given now. In the past, the Congress government sanctioned pension for both. Old people now ask why the government is not offering pension to both. Is the Telangana government so poor that it can't shell out Rs 2,000 a month to an old person? My straight question to the KCR government is that when five members of KCR family can enjoy government privileges, why can't the old couples? The other issue is that when a husband dies, the pension should automatically be transferred to the wife or vice versa. That's not happening now as the State government is not sanctioning any new pensions. This is inhuman. People, especially women, are also complaining about the enormous increase in the prices of essential commodities. We will fight with the State government with renewed vigour to see that all these problems are solved forthwith.
TRS has lost Dubbak by-election and lost ground in GHMC polls. Why do you think TRS is losing one election after another?
People are vexed with the State government. They say they have given two chances to K Chandrasekhar Rao and his political party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), but KCR failed to deliver. The TRS government increased old-age pension. But at the same time, it increased liquor prices. That means the government is giving with one hand and taking double that amount with another hand. The same is the case with other welfare schemes including Rythu Bandhu. So, the net benefit for the people is nil. Arogyasri scheme is not being implemented effectively. The KCR government creates huge hype whenever it promises or launches a new welfare scheme. That's it. The TRS government promised double rooms. How many people got it so far? The promise of reducing the age limit for old-age pensions to 57 years has not materialised. The unemployment problem is rising by the day as the government has neither offered government jobs nor generated private jobs. The TRS government has failed on all fronts. That's why people are looking for an alternative now.
There has been speculation that KT Rama Rao will replace KCR as Telangana Chief Minister though KCR has denied it. Do you see the change happening soon?
The speculation is a ploy created by the TRS leadership to divert people's attention from the party's ignominious defeat in Dubbak and loss of face in the GHMC polls. I don't think the change will happen. KTR is already the de facto Telangana CM now. He is holding review meetings with ministers. But KTR failed to handle even the ministerial portfolios that were allocated to him. What difference does it make if he is made CM?
The Congress was instrumental in the creation of the Telangana State. Why do you think Congress has failed to capitalise even though TRS seems to be facing anti-incumbency as was evident in recent elections?
By-elections never reflect the State-wide trends as local issues dominate. So is the case with the GHMC polls. The Congress has inherent strengths to bounce back whenever Assembly elections are held. It has an entrenched leadership across the State. People know that Congress created Telangana. They will give it a chance in the next elections as they are looking for a pro-poor alternative. BJP can never be an alternative to TRS as it's in hand-in-glove with the pink party.
The Gandhi family was an asset for Congress in the past. By raking up the issue of dynastic politics, BJP seems to have turned the Gandhi family into a liability for Congress. So, should a person from a non-Gandhi family lead the party now?
It's surprising that BJP has been raking up the issue of dynastic politics in the Congress when many of its leaders brought their children into politics. For instance, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's son is an MLA. There are several such examples in BJP. So, BJP doesn't have the right to talk about dynastic politics. Two members of the Indira Gandhi family – Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi – sacrificed their lives for the nation. How many BJP leaders sacrificed their lives for the country? None so far. Furthermore, after the untimely demise of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Congress stayed in power for 15 years. But neither Sonia Gandhi nor Rahul Gandhi yearned for the prime ministerial position. What more the Gandhi family can sacrifice? We want Rahul Gandhi back as the Congress president. We already passed a resolution on this.
But Rahul Gandhi seems to be reluctant to take the leadership role again. Then, how do you expect the Congress to regain its past glory in Telangana?
Rahul Gandhi will take over as the Congress president after June. Thereafter, there will be major political changes in the country. Besides, Congress is encouraging local leadership as well. That's the reason why we have strong State-level leaders in Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and several other States. We are also in power in some of these States. In Telangana too, we have strong leadership.
There has been speculation for the past several months that Congress will appoint a new president for TPCC. But nothing happened till now. Why there is so much delay on this issue?
There is no delay as such. It's media speculation. Uttam Kumar Reddy was appointed as TPCC president in March 2015. His tenure was extended by another three years in 2018, which will end in March 2021. The party's national leadership decided to appoint a new Telangana chief after Nagarjunasagar by-elections. It will happen.
You are the front runner for the TPCC chief's post. How do you plan to revive Congress in Telangana if you are made the TPCC president?
In the Congress party, all decisions are taken collectively. It's a collective fight. There is no place for individual decisions. That tradition will continue in the future too.
Recently, YS Sharmila indicated that she would launch a political party and bring RajannaRajyam in Telangana. How do you have to say about this?
It's a game plan of KCR to divide anti-incumbency votes and deprive the Congress of those votes. Christians and Muslim minorities, who account for 15 per cent votes, won't go for BJP. Congress already has a 30 per cent vote share. If these sections support the Congress, it will get an absolute majority in the next elections. KCR is using YS Sharmila as the weapon to divide Congress votes so that TRS can even win with lower votes in a multi-cornered contest. It's a fact that the Telangana people, all members of the Congress Party have immense respect for late YSR and his daughter. We respect YS Sharmila as our aadabidda (sister). But we fought for Telangana on two key issues – self-rule and injustice in river water sharing. How can Telangana people allow her to come to power here? Moreover, she has to make her stand clear on Krishna water disputes between AP and Telangana. AP Chief Minister and her own brother YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said he had nothing to do with Sharmila's political party!
Why did you lose in Kodangal in 2018? Will you contest again from Kodangal in 2023?
I lost the 2018 Kodangal Assembly election because more than 15,000 votes were missing from the voters' list. Further, police created fear psychosis among voters. TRS leaders used money power as well, as they wanted to finish me politically. But their plans went awry as I bounced back and won as MP. It was a big elevation for me. I will again contest from Kodangal.
What kind of pressure the Congress party will bring on the Modi government to roll back farm laws?
Our national leadership will take a call on this, but we will continue our fight until the Central government rolls back the farm laws which are detrimental to the interests of farmers.
