Congress on Thursday hit back at Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao over his remarks against former prime minister Indira Gandhi, saying an "arrogant and drunk with power" has heaped insults on the leader but the people of the state will never forgive him.
The Congress also said that Rao's days as the Chief Minister are numbered and he is unable to come to terms with the fact that his feudal and money spinning enterprise is coming to an end.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge led the front and in a post on X slammed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader for his comments and said, "An arrogant KCR, drunk with power, has heaped insults on Indira Gandhi. The people of Telangana will never, ever forgive him for that. Indiramma Rajyam means justice, welfare and development, and the Congress party is strongly committed to it."
Party general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal criticised the Chief Minister and said, "KCR's days on the Chief Minister chair are numbered. He is unable to come to terms with the fact that his feudal, money-spinning enterprise is coming to an end. In his complete desperation, after all their attacks on the Congress and our senior leadership failed, he has attacked our beloved Indira Amma."
"Is he so deluded after living in his farm house 24x7 that he has forgotten the special place that Indira ji has in the hearts of every single Indian? Is he so enslaved to his BJP masters that he will attack a former PM who laid down her life for this country?" Venugopal asked.
"KCR and his son are struggling to save their own seats. This election will be the beginning of the end of BRS," the Congress leader added.
The strongly-worded reactions from the Congress came after the Chief Minister made a scathing attack at the grand-old party recalling the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's regime and said "Why do we need that regime when nothing good happened during that period."
Addressing a public gathering at Wyra, Khannam district, KCR said, "Congress leaders are saying if voted to power they will bring Indirama (Indira Gandhi) regime. Why do we need that regime? Did any good happen during that? Poor were left as poor, and SC and STs have been used as vote banks. If they had done good this wouldn't have been the situation of Dalits and Girijans."
The Congress has been slamming the ruling BRS in the southern state, which will go to polls on November 30. Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have been making regular tours of the southern state to campaign for the party.
The grand-old party has already announced several guarantees for the people of Telangana and is eyeing to dislodge the BRS by defeating in the 119-member Assembly.
Counting of votes will take place on December 3.
(With inputs from IANS)