Have 420 promises to T’gana been thrown into Musi River, asks Kishan Reddy in letter to Sonia Gandhi

Hyderabad: Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday wrote to Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, questioning why the six guarantees promised in the Congress manifesto during the Telangana Assembly elections “have not been fulfilled” even after two years of the party forming the government in the state.

Reddy also sought to know whether Sonia Gandhi reviewed the status of those earlier promises when Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy recently met her in Delhi and presented the ‘Telangana Rising – 2047 Vision Document’.

In his letter, written in Telugu (roughly translated into English), the Union Minister referred to the programme organised by the Telangana government titled ‘Telangana Rising – 2047’, noting that it was widely reported that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy personally presented the vision document to Sonia Gandhi during his visit to the national capital.

“I am writing to you in reference to the programme organised by the Government of Telangana titled ‘Telangana Rising – 2047’, wherein it has been widely reported that the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri Revanth Reddy, recently visited Delhi and personally presented to you the ‘Telangana Rising – 2047 Vision Document’,” Reddy wrote.

“Reports suggest that you appreciated the performance of the government over its two years in office and commended the Chief Minister’s vision for the state’s development, while also extending your best wishes for Telangana’s future,” he further said.

However, Reddy said this appreciation raised a “serious and unavoidable question”. He recalled that during the Telangana Assembly election campaign in 2023, Sonia Gandhi had addressed a large public meeting organised by the Congress party on September 17 at Tukkuguda, on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

“On that occasion, you not only unveiled the Congress party’s election manifesto titled ‘Abhayahastam’, but also personally assured the people of Telangana that the six guarantees would be implemented immediately upon the Congress party coming to power,” Reddy said in the letter.

The Union Minister questioned whether, after the Congress won the elections and completed two full years in office, the CPP chief had “ever reviewed or enquired about the status of the manifesto” that she, along with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders, had “promised to the people of Telangana”.

“Did you even raise this issue when the Chief Minister met you recently?” he asked.

Reddy said that the congratulations extended to Revanth Reddy on completing two years in power gave the impression that either Sonia Gandhi was unaware of the ground reality regarding the implementation of the six guarantees, or that no serious attempt had been made to assess whether the promises made to the people had been fulfilled.

He further alleged that instead of honouring its election commitments, the Telangana government “appears to be misleading the people”.

“Under the guise of development, it has attempted to introduce a new narrative through a vision document, while the earlier guarantees remain unaddressed. Shockingly, the party leadership seems content to congratulate itself rather than demand accountability,” Reddy said.

The Union Minister also questioned whether the Congress party was “now abandoning the guarantees made during the elections”.

“Have the ‘420 promises’ of the election manifesto been thrown into the Musi River, or quietly buried within the walls of Gandhi Bhavan? The people of Telangana deserve a clear and honest answer,” he added.

Stating that two years after assuming office, the Congress government must first demonstrate its integrity by fulfilling the commitments already made, Reddy said new visions and promises should not come at the cost of “unfulfilled guarantees”.

“Otherwise, the ‘Abhayahastam (hand of assurance)’ once extended to the people will inevitably transform into a ‘Bhasmasura Hasta (hand of destruction)’, fuelled by public anger, and will sweep the government out of power,” he warned.

Reddy called upon Sonia Gandhi to clarify the Congress party’s position on the guarantees promised to farmers, women, unemployed youth, students, Dalits, tribals and backward classes.

“The people of Telangana are watching and waiting,” he said.

“This betrayal of public trust will not go unanswered. If the Congress government continues to fail in delivering on its promises, the people of Telangana will respond decisively in the future by withdrawing their support and delivering a fitting lesson,” he added.

IANS