BRS, BJP two sides of same coin; will fight their 'anti-people' stance in Telangana: Congress

Dubbing the BRS government in Telangana as the "most corrupt" in the country, the Congress on Friday alleged that party and the BJP are two sides of the same coin and vowed to fight what it alleged was their "anti-people" stance.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said his party will oppose anyone seen helping the BJP government at the Centre which it termed as "anti-democratic".

He also said the AIMIM is an ally of the BRS as it was seen supporting it and in turn the BJP.

Addressing a joint press conference here at the venue of the Congress public rally slated on September 17, to mark the Telangana day, Venugopal and general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Congress will hold a series of discussions during the meeting of the working committee as part of its preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in five states and also of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"We promised Telangana and we delivered, but unfortunately after delivering Telangana you know how this BRS is ruling the state and this entire Telangana government has become the most corrupt state in the country," he said.

Venugopal said the people of Telangana are fed up with corruption in the state and the Congress is fighting it in Telangana while taking on the Modi government at the Centre.

"You know how this Telangana government is ruling this state. Telangana is the most corrupt state in the government. Everywhere there is corruption, misgovernance, people are fed up with the government, they are in a very difficult situation," he said.

"We will announce six guarantees for the people of Telangana. We hope that when the elections come, the party will get a clear mandate from the people," Ramesh said, talking about the rally that will be held on Sunday evening.

"Understand one thing that the Modi government and the KCR government are two sides of the same coin. There is no difference between them, in Delhi there is Narendra Modi and in Hyderabad there is KCR," he said.

He referred to renowned artist Gaddar, saying when asked five years ago as to what is happening in Telangana, the poet and singer responded, "1 cr, 2 cr,  3 cr, Telangana mein KCR." "This is the story of Telangana. After this working committee, the vigour that was infused in our organization after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, will return and you will see that at the time of polls, the people will give a clear mandate to the Congress," Ramesh asserted.

Venugopal said the CWC meeting which is being held for the first time in many years outside Delhi and for three days together will be "historic".

"This is a transformative moment for Telangana politics," Ramesh said.

Echoing similar views, Venugopal said this meeting is going to be a gamechanger for Telangana politics as well.

Ramesh said the Congress will give six guarantees to the people of Telangana and they will be fulfilled soon after its government formation here.

Venugopal said the Congress' fight is with Narendra Modi all over India.  "Our principal enemy in politics is the BJP and their ideology, we are fighting tooth and nail but when the farm bills came, you saw the role of KCR's party and they supported farm laws, whenever such anti democratic laws come in Parliament they support it. Whichever party is supporting the BJP they are actually against the people, they are anti-democratic," he said.

Asked about the critical comments of BRS leaders against Rahul Gandhi, Ramesh said the BJP is rattled at the Centre and here it is KCR.

Asked whether YS Sharnila  of the YSR Telangana Party would join the Congress, Venugopal did not give a direct reply, saying "people will come to our party, you wait and see".

"Sharmila ji already met Congress leadership. Certainly you can see the decision later," he said.  Ramesh hit out at BRS leader and KCR's daughter K Kavitha for criticizing Rahul Gandhi, saying she should not worry about the former Congress president but about the ED.

Venugopal alleged that KCR, in his bid to get Muslim votes, was acting as if he is anti-BJP but in reality "they are together and are brothers".  People will get to know about it, he added.

"On 20 February 2014 the bill for Telangana was passed in Rajya Sabha. Telangana was created due to the Congress and not due to the KCR," Ramesh asserted.

Venugopal also hit out at AIMIM for being an "ally" of KCR and said it would tray that party accordingly.

"We are very sure that the Congress will form its governments in all the five states which are going to polls later this year," he said.

Noting that the CWC meeting is being held purposely in Telangana with elections in mind, he said, "This meeting is going to be a game changer for Telangana politics. We are going to form government in five states in the upcoming polls."