Rahul Gandhi addresses a rally in Mumbai on Sunday
today attacked the Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS for failing to act on its promise to "merge with the Congress after bifurcation" of Andhra Pradesh to create a separate Telangana state was announced.
He also claimed in Mehboobnagar, one of the 10 districts that will make up the new state, "It wouldn't have been possible to make Telangana without Sonia Gandhi." Sonia Gandhi is Mr Gandhi's mother and party chief. (
Elections: full coverage)
Mr Gandhi pitched for a Congress government in the new Telangana state that will be formally born on June 2, saying frontrunner TRS, "makes promises but does not fulfill them... they said a Dalit should be Telangana's CM. The TRS has forgotten all its promises, it wants only power."
TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao or KCR, who fronted the campaign for a Telangana state and now aims to be its first Chief Minister, left the Congress high and dry earlier this year, after the ruling party rode rough shod over many of its own lawmakers to push through Parliament the bill that provided for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. He decided that he would not merge his party with the Congress after all. (
TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao likely to have smooth sailing in Medak Lok Sabha seat)
But KCR has indicated that he may be open to a partnership after the elections. Assembly elections are being held along with general elections in Andhra Pradesh.
Opinion polls have indicated that
KCR is likely to bag the maximum number of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, dividends for his fight for a separate Telangana. The Congress, despite claiming credit for pushing for bifurcation, could have to settle for fewer seats than the seven it had from the region last time.
Andhra Pradesh will vote undivided in the national election and state elections - the Telangana region will vote on April 30 and the Seemandhra regions which will be the residuary Andhra Pradesh vote on May 7.