Sangareddy: The state of Telangana was formed as per the aspirations of the people during the regime of the Congress government, All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice president Rahul Gandhi said.

Addressing a massive rally termed ‘Praja Garjana’ here on Thursday, he said the Congress and its president Sonia Gandhi agreed to the formation of the new state as they understood the concerns of the people. “The people have to now check if in the last three years their aspirations or dreams have been met or not. Are the policies and decisions of the state government in the right direction? The answer is a definite no,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The state is being run like a personal bastion of one family, he said and added that the chief minister is using precious resources like land and water for his personal benefit. “Several promises were made by the chief minister when he assumed office. Free education from KG to PG, waiver of farm loans, jobs to unemployed youth. However, none of them were addressed by the TRS government,” Rahul Gandhi said while trying to focus on the failures of the state government.

Farmers were advised to go for chili crop but when farmers did not get minimum price for their produce, the state government failed to come to their rescue, he said. “There are over 100 instances of farmers committing suicide in the chief minister’s own constituency,” he said on the occasion. Similarly, the state government promised free education till PG but on the contrary went ahead and closed scores of schools, Rahul Gandhi remarked.

The Congress vice president also took a dig on chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of constructing a new house and office worth Rs 350 crore. “That money actually belongs to the poor farmers who did not get the promised loan waiver and also to the students who were not given the fee reimbursement,” he pointed out.

“Congress on the other hand does not run a one-man show but runs the government of the people and the elected representatives. The Congress takes the opinion and wishes of the people and farmers when making policy decisions. The CM whom you trusted his misleading the people and the state,” Rahul Gandhi said.

He promised the people that when Congress comes to power it will fulfill the aspirations of the women, children and farmers of the state. Congress is a party of the Telugu people, he said.

He called on the state Congress leaders to visit people at the grass root level, travel to every nook and corner of the state to better understand the issues and concerns of the people.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Uttam Kumar Reddy and Digvijay Singh were among those who were present at the ‘Praja Garjana’.