D K Shivakumar.
Credit: DH Photo
Hyderabad: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakmar on Saturday expressed confidence that the Congress will form the next government in Telangana and implement its poll guarantees.
He also dismissed allegations made by BRS that promises made by Congress in Karnataka are not being implemented.
Shivakumar, who addressed poll rallies at Tandur and Parigi near here, said Congress leader Sonia Gandhi fulfilled the long spending demand of people for Telangana state 10 years ago and it is time for the electorate to show gratitude to her.
Observing that the Congress had delivered on the promises announced during the UPA government, he asked whether BRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had fulfilled the promises he had made 10 years ago.
The Congress has delivered on whatever it had promised in Karnataka, he said.
Referring to BRS allegations that the Congress government in Karnataka was not able to implement the promises it had made to people, Shivakumar asked Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K T Rama Rao to visit Karnataka and see for themselves.
'I am asking Mr KCR and KTR. I will arrange for a bus. You all come with your team of ministers... whatever we have promised, we have delivered. You are telling that we are not going to deliver. Karnataka is a state whatever we promised, we delivered,' he said.
'All the relatives of Telangana are there in Karnataka, you ask them. Whenever you give time, I am ready to come with you, take you on a bus and show what we have done to the people of Karnataka,' he said.
Shivakumar highlighted the six poll guarantees announced by the Congress in Telangana and exuded confidence that his party would come to power.
The six guarantees given by Congress in Telangana are better than the five guarantees made by the party in Karnataka, he said.
The six guarantees include the promise of Rs 2,500 per month and gas cylinders at Rs 500 for women, as well as 200 units of free electricity for all households.
'Today, I have come to Telangana to tell you. Whatever six guarantees Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee under the leadership of Revanth (PCC president Revanth Reddy) has been given, it is better than Karnataka's five guarantees. I would like to tell you,' Shivakaumar, who is also Karnataka Congress president, said.
Shivakumar claimed that the entire country wants a change in Telangana and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had stated that Telangana was the most corrupt state in the country.
Telangana goes to the polls on November 30 and counting will take place on December 3. PTI SJR SJR KH