‘Abhayahastam or Bhasmasura hasta?’: Kishan Reddy challenges Sonia Gandhi on Telangana poll promises

Hyderabad: Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy has penned an open letter to senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, demanding clarity on the status of the "Abhayahastam" guarantees made during the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections.

In the letter released on Sunday, the Union Coal Minister questioned whether the Congress party has "abandoned" its poll promises in favour of new narratives, specifically targeting the recently unveiled "Telangana Rising – 2047 Vision Document."

Reddy’s letter comes in the wake of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy presenting the 2047 Vision Document to Sonia Gandhi. Reports indicated that the Congress matriarch had praised the government's performance over its two-year tenure.

Kishan Reddy expressed shock at this appreciation, arguing that it suggests a disconnect from the ground reality. "The congratulations conveyed to Revanth Reddy... give the impression that either Sonia Gandhi is unaware of the ground reality regarding the implementation of the guarantees, and that no serious attempt has been made to assess whether the promises made to the people have been fulfilled at all," he stated.

He asked if Sonia Gandhi, who had personally assured the public of the immediate implementation of the six guarantees in 2023, had reviewed the manifesto's status during her meeting with the Chief Minister.

Using sharp rhetoric, the BJP leader accused the state government of misleading the public by introducing new "fantasies" while previous commitments remain unaddressed.

"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," Reddy wrote. He asserted that the government must demonstrate integrity by fulfilling existing commitments before floating new vision documents.

Kishan Reddy invoked a mythological metaphor to describe the potential political fallout. He warned that the "Abhayahastam" (hand of assurance) extended to voters in 2023 risks transforming into a "Bhasmasura Hasta" (hand of destruction) fueled by public anger.

"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," the letter concluded, labeling the situation a "betrayal" of public trust.

(Inputs from PTI)