Enthused by ‘tremendous’ response from the people to the Congress party’s six guarantees and strong mood to defeat the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samiti, Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka is confident that his party is all set to give its best ever performance since the formation of the state of Telangana in 2014.
In an exclusive interview to The Hindu, Mr. Bhatti, who is the Congress candidate from Madhira SC reserved constituency says that as the CLP leader, he too is an aspirant for the Chief Minister’s post in the event of the Congress coming to power but adds that it is the CLP and the central leadership that will decide on the coveted post.
Excerpts of the interview of the three-time MLA:
How is the Congress campaign so far going on. Are you sure the campaign has set the tone for change of guard in the State?
Of course, campaign is so good in the State of Telangana that it has set the tone and made people think seriously and turn the tables on the ruling BRS. People have decided to vote for the Congress and the party in return will distribute the wealth to the people. We have clearly mentioned this in our guarantees. We have sent guarantee card to each household with our promise to fulfil each one of them.
Is it the anti-incumbency and anti-establishment mood that is likely to benefit the Congress or the six guarantees that will fetch the Congress the much desired votes?
Not only anti-incumbency, bad governance, looting of the wealth of the State, revival of the age old feudal structure in the state has made the people go against the BRS Government. And they have realised that the Congress party alone can think of distributing the wealth.
Has the Cong campaign gained momentum because of the presence of AICC leaders like Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and other central leaders?
Of course, it started off from Bharat Jodo Yatra and then the People’s March by the CLP leader and public meetings of the PCC president A. Revanth and national leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi taking part in various public meetings all over the State. All other senior congress leaders are collective involving in the campaign at respective levels that has boosted our prospects tremendously.
In fact the very purpose of asking and getting Telangana state is to have our own resources to be distributed among ourselves, getting the water, and creating employment to lakhs of unemployed youth and live with self respect and freedom of expression. All this things unfortunately are missing in the present regime.
In the event of Congress crossing the half mark of 60 seats, are you in the race for the Chief Minister’s post?
For the post of Chief Minister the Congress party has many capable leaders to lead the state and head governance. And it is an asset to the Congrss party and the also the state. I am also one among them. But finally, it is the Congress Legislature Party that will elect the leader of the CLP in the presence of high command. I am one among the aspirant as CLP leader.
Don’t you think the power problem in Karnataka has put the Congress party on the defensive?
No not at all, distribution of power by any incumbent government depends upon the previous government vision and production. Since 2014 the previous governments vision started and set up many power projects but by the time TRS (now BRS) came to power, the yield and production has come into reality and starting distributing. On the same lines, in Karnataka, the previous BJP government did not bother to improve power generation. It handed over the state and power sector to the Congress Government in a very bad shape. But, still the present Karnataka Government is trying its best to improve the power situation. Power is not something like taking out of the pocket and distributing it and it takes time to produce.
In Telangana alone, in the last one decade the Government has planned Yadadri and Bhadradri power plants. So far there is no power generation in Yadadri and Bhadradri plant is an outdated sub critical unit.
What is your take on the Opposition criticism that State Congress leaders will now have two power centres – Central leadership and the one in Karnataka?
See this present government has nothing to say, so they started to speak about this issue. They have nothing else to ask and seek votes. This charge is nothing but cock and bull stories of the BRS out of fear of defeat. Congress is a national party and there is TPCC which will sit and take decisions. The same is approved by the central leadership. Does not the BRS district units seek its state leadership’s approval to take some decisions.
BRS is a sub-regional party and we are national party.
Finally, you still are sure there is a clear nexus between the BRS-BJP-MIM in this election only to keep the Congress away from securing power?
Of course, it has been proved number of time in elections and in the ongoing campaign that Congress leaders are very strong in many constituency. This has made the BRS panicky. It has informed the BJP leadership, which is sending central agencies like the ED and Income Tax departments to raid the Congress candidates. This itself shows, the BRS is afraid of Congress and clearly proves that BJP and MIM are hand in glove with it.
How many seats will the Congress win”
We are sure of forming the Government. We are going to get anywhere between 78-82 seats. The fear of defeat has made Chief Minister and BRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao to contest from Kamareddy apart from Gajwel.
