Naidu calls Congress a party of robbers and cheats

HYDERABAD: Claiming that development of Telangana is possible only with the TDP at the helm of affairs in the State and the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, Telugu Desam chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday painted the Congress as a party of robbers and cheats.

Addressing public meetings at Jagtial in Karimnagar district and Kandukur in Ranga Reddy district, Naidu dubbed the Congress anti-people and anti-development.

'Their top leaders, including Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, come here to ask for votes, but did they ever come to address your problems?'' he asked the public.

Describing the TDP as a party, which has the best interests of Telangana people at heart, Naidu claimed it was he and his party men who had fought against the Babli dam in Maharashtra, braved police lathis and went to jail.

'It was to protect the interests of the farmers of Telangana. We have always been committed to Telangana farmers. It was during the TDP rule that `1,400 crore was sanctioned for Sriramsagar canal lining modification work,' he asserted.

Calling TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao the 'first betrayer' of Telangana, Naidu cautioned the people that the pink party chief would cheat them at the first opportunity.

'What has he really done for Telangana farmers? Nothing. Real development can be achieved only by the TDP-BJP combine,' he claimed.

Naidu further described the Congress as a party steeped in corruption and said it was high time it was thrown out of power.

'The Congress has failed to provide protection and security for women. Once our government comes, we will give mobile phones to all women.

They can use the speed dial and alert the nearest police station if they are in trouble. Care will be taken to improve the system and ensure their safety,' he promised.

The TDP chief said Deepam scheme (cooking gas connection) meant for the poor was discontinued by the Congress government and it would be revived if the TDP came back to power.

Calling the Congress and TRS copycats, he alleged, 'They have copied my promise of farm loan waiver. It was I who had, during my padayatra, promised to waive farm loans,' and added it was he who had encouraged women's empowerment by starting DWACRA groups.

Naidu said Congress leaders only know how to loot people. 'They had promised lakhs of jobs but did not give even 5,000 jobs.' He blamed the Congress for the death of 1,100 youths of Telangana. He claimed that it was he who had developed Hyderabad as an IT destination.

'Many projects in the state were either started during NTR's time or my rule. But none was taken up by the Congress government,' he claimed.

In Jagtial, he promised to make it a district and ensure its all-round development. He promised to set up a special fund for the welfare of Gulf returnees and victims' families.

He also promised to set up a `1,000-crore fund for the welfare of weavers and said the problems of beedi workers would be solved.