Rahul wishes a woman CM for Telangana

Hyderabad/Warangal: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday made a pitch for woman leader to become Chief Minister of the new State of Telangana.

'My dream is to see that a woman emerges as the leader and becomes Chief Minister of Telangana State,' he said while addressing an election rally at Madikonda near Warangal.

Rahul's remark favouring woman Chief Minister has raised curiosity in political circles. The Congress had in the recent past promised to make a Backward Class leader the CM of Telangana if the party was voted to power.

This has raised the ambitions of leaders belonging to weaker sections. The Congress vice-president has now added a new dimension to the power dynamics within the party.

Meanwhile, Rahul sought to make an emotional connect with the youth in the two public meetings that he addressed at Warangal and at LB Stadium in Hyderabad.

Seeking to infuse vigour and dynamism into the campaign, he asked the youth to dream big and strive to make 'Made in India' and 'Made in Telangana' products world famous.

Rahul said that running the country was not a small task and one needs to "dream big" for that. "It is not a small task to run this country. You need to have big dreams and big thoughts for that," he said. "You need to get things done with love.

You need to carry everyone along," the Congress leader said, in an oblique reference to the alleged divisive agenda of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.

Claiming the entire credit for granting statehood for the region, he made it clear without the commitment and courage displayed by Congress and its president Sonia Gandhi, Telangana State would not have become a reality.

'Big dreams could be turned real if Congress is voted to power at the Centre and in the State. Elect Congress candidates as your MPs and we can realise those big dreams," Rahul said.

"You fought for 60 years and waited to realise your dream (of Telangana). We helped you realise that and Telangana State will formally come into being on June 2 as the 29th State of India.

This is only a first step," the Congress vice-president said. As a second step, he asked the people to "dream big" of leading the State on the path of progress.

"Telangana should belong to all...rich, poor, SCs, STs, women, backward classes and minorities. You have to place confidence only in such leaders who will help realise your dreams and not on those who go back on their promises," he said.

Attacking Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao, he said, "He promised to make a Dalit the first Chief Minister of Telangana but now he himself wants to become the CM.

Rahul reminded the gathering that KCR had no role in the creation of Telangana State. Neither did he support the Bill nor pass it in the Parliament, he said.

Calling upon the people to build "Brand Telangana", he said he would one day like to sport a "made in Telangana" watch or shirt.

At LB statdium, he targeted TRS for resorting to "politics of bitterness". Indirectly referring to the concerns over the safety and security of Seemandhra settlers in the city, Rahul said that Congress alone could ensure all-round development and prosperity for Telangana. He exhorted the youth to build 'brand Telangana' and to spread 'brand Hyderabad' across the globe.

Assailing TRS and its leadership for spreading animosity, Rahul said, 'The TRS leader is trying to do politics of bitterness in Hyderabad. People of all sections built Hyderabad. People came from distant places, lived here and all of us together built Hyderabad.

This city belongs to all. This is the city of love and brotherhood. This city would move ahead only with love and brotherhood," he said.

He assured that Congress would take care of the safety and security of those living in Hyderabad. Referring to Chinese products like T-shirts and watches flooding the Indian market, he said Congress and youth of Telangana and Hyderabad wants to see 'Made in Telangana' and 'Made in Hyderabad' on such products.

"I am not wearing a watch now. I want a 'Made in Telangana' watch. TRS cannot realise this dream," Rahul said. While Hyderabad is a software centre now, the Congress, if voted to power, would like to develop the city a hardware hub as well. He also promised to set up 4,000 MW power project and provide tax holiday for backward regions of Telangana.