Congress rule is need of the hour, says AP Congress president Rudra Raju

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gidugu Rudra Raju on Thursday said Congress rule in the country was the “need of the hour”

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gidugu Rudra Raju on Thursday said Congress rule in the country was the “need of the hour” as the common man was at the receiving end of gross apathy by the State and the Central governments.

Speaking after conclusion of a padayatra taken out by the party leaders from Andhra Ratna Bhavan to the Dharna Chowk to mark the first anniversary of the Kashmir to Kanyakumari ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra by All India Congress Committee leader Rahul Gandhi, the PCC chief on Thursday slammed the BJP government at the Centre for its ‘divisive politics’ and accused the YSR Congress Party, the Telugu Desam Party and the Jana Sena Party in the State of pandering to them.

He said last year Mr. Rahul Gandhi embarked on the ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra to hear the heartbeat of the crores of people across the country who were waiting to be heard. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was out to destroy everything that was established during the Congress rule in the country.

Congress Working Committee (CWC) member K. Raju, who also participated in the padayatra, said only Congress party could fulfil the promises of Special Category Status and development of Visakha Steel Plant and Polavaram projects made to Andhra Pradesh. “Equal justice to all sections is possible only under Congress rule,” he emphasised, adding that the objective of the padayatra was to take Rahul Gandhi’s message to people at every nook and cranny of the State.

Vijayawada City Congress president Naraharasetti Narasimha Rao, the party’s NTR district president B. Kiran, AICC members Dhanekula Murali, Kolanukonda Sivaji and Meda Suresh, and other senior party leaders led the padayatra.