Telangana: 'Congress killed our children' posters appear before RaGa's visit
What's the story
As Telangana gears up for Assembly polls, posters targeting the Congress party have surfaced in Nizamabad and Bodhan areas, coinciding with Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state.
The posters feature Gandhi and state Congress chief Revanth Reddy, accusing them of being responsible for the deaths of children and demanding an apology.
"You are responsible for the sacrifices...You are the one who killed our children; you have to apologize. You have to rub your nose on the ground," reads a poster.
Context
Why does this story matter?
This comes as the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) intensified its attack on the Congress over deaths during the agitation demanding a separate Telangana.
The elections are scheduled in Telangana in a single phase on November 30, with the BRS enjoying major public support.
It will be a fight for survival for the Congress, which has five seats.
Similarly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hoping to make advances in the state despite having only three seats.
Details
Posters highlight alleged issues in Karnataka
According to ANI, the protest posters also highlight issues faced by people in Congress-ruled Karnataka, such as electricity problems and unemployment.
"Electricity problems in Karnataka...No jobs... Gallows... Unemployed for the sin of voting for Congress" reads the message on the posters in Telugu.
Telangana is the last state to vote this year, with elections already held in Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, while polling is underway in Rajasthan.
Twitter Post
Images of posters shared on X
#WATCH | Nizamabad, Telangana: Protest posters on the visit of Rahul Gandhi are seen in Nizamabad and Bodhan. Posters state that 'the Congress party killed our children and demands an apology'. pic.twitter.com/s7mzODEBo8
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2023
What Next?
Congress leaders' planned campaigning in Telangana
The protest posters against the Congress emerge at a critical time as both parties campaign vigorously ahead of the upcoming elections.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders, including Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have public meetings planned in Telangana as they aim to unseat the BRS government.
CM K Chandrashekar Rao, on the other hand, is confident of winning a third consecutive term for his government in India's youngest state, which was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
Congress Party
Congress bats on 6 poll guarantees
The Congress is looking for a stronger performance than in 2018, with six guarantees for the state. They include Mahalaxmi Yojana—a cash incentive plan for women, Rythu Bharosa scheme for farmers, Yuva Vikasam scheme for students, and the Indira Amma Indlu—a land assistance scheme for the state's homeless people.
Besides the aforesaid promises, the party also pledged 200 units of free energy for every home under Grih Jyoti and a monthly pension of Rs. 4,000 for the elderly under Cheyutha.
Agitation
Know about Telangana agitation
BRS leaders have reportedly accused the Congress of forcefully merging Telangana with Andhra Pradesh in 1956 and "suppressing" the Telangana movement of the 1970s for a separate state.
KCR accused the grand old party of killing 400 people and sending lakhs to jails during the movement.
He alleged that the Congress had an alliance with the party and promised to create Telangana State but ditched it.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)—now BRS—was formed in 2001 for Telangana, he claimed.