'Four members of KCR’s family control 60% of the state budget...'

Since January, when Maharashtra’s Manikrao Thakre became AICC incharge for Telangana (119 seats), the 69-year-old Congress veteran has soothed ruffled feathers, kept the flock together, managed egos and turf wars among partymen with hyperlocal heft, and worked closely with state party chief Revanth Reddy, the sitting LS MP (Malkajgiri) contesting from two seats. As Thakre was managing a crowd of netas, he told TOI, Congress is upbeat, BRS is fighting and BJP is not in the reckoning in the November 30 electionsQ: What makes you claim Congress will win Telangana?A: As the ruling party in Andhra and at the Centre, Congress and Sonia Gandhi had played a central role in the formation of Telangana. Sonia Gandhi had announced it seven months in advance; the people of Telangana remember that. Meanwhile, BRS chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao did not fulfil any of the promises during his decade in Hyderabad, be it the 12% reservation for Muslims, appointment of a Dalit CM, or three-acre land to Dalits.On the contrary, Telangana’s revenue was used for KCR’s family, the party and its promotion in the state and outside. Corruption in the multi-crore Kaleshwaram irrigation project showed scams were rampant in BRS’s tenure. It’s evident – 60% of the state budget has been in the hands of four members of KCR’s family. Corruption is a major issue, besides lack of development and jobs. BRS only took select steps that would benefit KCR during elections.Isn’t it mere posturing, Congress accusing BRS, BJP and AIMIM of silent partnership?BRS and BJP have an agreement for 2024 elections. Their recent actions made that even more clear. KCR claimed he was fighting BJP, but his party would support the Modi government in Parliament. Overt actions have been a jolt to the people. AAP’s Manish Sisodia is in jail, accused in a liquor scam, but the Centre did not arrest KCR’s daughter K Kavitha despite hours of questioning. We predicted this, and now even BJP leaders and cadres say so. BJP changed its Telangana president at BRS’s insistence. ED, I-T and CBI raid Congress leaders, aides over allegations in cases of just ₹2 crore, yet there is no action in Telangana despite a decade of open irregularities. Interestingly, AIMIM is also part of this nexus – fielding candidates in select seats on BRS’s demand to hurt Congress. But people have seen through this. They’re going against BRS. ShowBlurbsWhat is Congress’s principal electoral plank?Congress has made six specific guarantees, underwritten by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. People trust them. These guarantee cards are being sent to every household. There’s chatter about Congress’ prospects in Telangana. Can a party leap from 7 MLAs to 60-majority mark?We were bogged down by lack of unity. Infighting put off people who thought Congress wasn’t serious about fighting BRS. But since January, the party’s working together, there’s been no discordant voice, nor press conferences by leaders against one another. People’s trust has been earned. Revanth Reddy is taking the party forward in coordination with all other leaders. Youth are the biggest force behind our momentum; you can see that in Congress rallies. All of opposition, be it TJS of Kodandaram or the Left parties, are with us. People are tired of BRS and its corruption, and recall Sonia Gandhi. Congress will win 71 seats.Why should people believe BRS can be defeated?Look how desperate BRS is. Some months ago, it had begun touring Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra, MP, advertised across the states. But the last four months, BRS hasn’t ventured out of Telangana and is focused here.Rahul Gandhi made KCR’s “family rule” a campaign issue, the trope BJP uses against the Gandhi family. Can it not backfire?The Gandhi family has made sacrifices since the freedom struggle, given their money and land and life to the country. They did not amass assets. Never were four members of the family in government, or 60% of the budget in the family’s hand. This is known to all, that’s why this comparison is not valid. People believe there has been family rule of KCR.Who is Congress’s CM candidate?Congress projects a CM candidate in some places, but here, we have leaders in state president Revanth Reddy, legislature party leader Bhatti Vikramarka and other seniors like Damodar Rajnarsimha, Uttam Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. We have good leadership. Once MLAs win, the high command will seek their views to decide the CM candidate.It is said a good BJP showing in Telangana will hurt Congress?BJP is in no position to perform. It has collapsed, people have junked it. Some surveys are showing them fighting for their own compulsions. But people have recognised BJP isn’t fighting the polls to win.