Making Rahul PM in 2029 will be 'finals victory' for Congress: Telangana CM Revanth

Hyderabad, Sep 15 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday said that the victory of Congress in state Assembly elections in 2023 was only semi-finals and the "finals" is to make Rahul Gandhi the prime minister after the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress should win 15 of the 17 LS seats in Telangana to make Gandhi as PM and the party activists should not rest till the goal is achieved, he said.

"I would like to say that the formation of government in 2023 under my leadership as PCC president and Bhatti Vikramarka as CLP leader was only semi finals.

"In reality, the finals are in 2029 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is defeated and Rahul Gandhi is made the prime minister and the tricolour is unfurled on the Red Fort in Delhi. That is our victory in the finals," he said.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Congress won twice between 1999 and 2004, and 2004 and 2014 respectively, in undivided Andhra Pradesh. BRS was successful twice between 2014 and 2023 after the formation of Telangana, he said, expressing confidence that the ruling Congress would be in power for 10 years in the state.

The CM was speaking at an event organised at Gandhi Bhavan here, Congress headquarters in Telangana, on the occasion of B Mahesh Kumar Goud taking over as state Congress president. Goud succeeded Revanth Reddy.

Highlighting the various poll promises and schemes being implemented by his government, including crop loan waiver and free travel for women in state-run RTC buses, the chief minister said he had urged party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to appoint a full-time PCC president so that the government's development programmes can be taken effectively to the people.

The AICC leaders had appointed Mahesh Kumar Goud, a backward class leader, who played an important role as incharge of organisational affairs in Congress state unit, while being accessible to the party workers, he said.

In a veiled reference to the recent war of words between BRS leaders and the party's turncoat MLA Arekapudi Gandhi and also the alleged attack on the house of BRS MLA P Kaushik Reddy, the CM asserted that Congress activists would not trouble anyone but if anyone treats the Congress party's goodness as weakness, it will prove costly for them.

The CM said he has asked officials to ensure law and order following the recent incidents.

"Mahesh Goud could be soft. But, don't forget that I am behind (him)," he said.

Reddy said he and Goud will have to work for the victory of Congress activists in the coming local body polls.

Goud, who rose through the ranks in Congress beginning his career as NSUI leader, said his appointment as PCC president is a recognition for party activists.

He said he would act as a bridge between the government and the party.

Goud was on September 6 appointed as the TPCC president, replacing CM Reddy. PTI