People’s Front, the grand alliance of Opposition in Telangana, received a big shot in the arm on Wednesday as Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu for the first time addressed a joint election rally and vowed to throw out the Telangana Rashtra Samiti Government in December 7 polls. They accused TRS chief of failing to deliver the poll promises.

“This rally makes a historic beginning of the Opposition unity. First the Opposition alliance would defeat the B team of BJP (TRS) in Telangana and then we will defeat the A team in Delhi”, Rahul said.

As the leaders of all constituents of the grand alliance, including CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, Telangana Jana Sena president Kodanda Ram, popular folk singer Gaddar and Dalit leader Manda Krishna Madiga shared the stage at the mammoth rally in Khammam, Rahul and Chandrababu went all out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

“From your great enthusiasm it is clear that the Opposition alliance is going to form the next Government in Telangana,” Rahul added.

On his part, Chandrababu said the TDP joining hands with the Congress and forming a grand alliance was a historic necessity. Referring to the rally in Khammam he said, “This will be remembered in history as this marks the beginning of Opposition coming together to rout the BJP Government. National alliance of Opposition has started to take a shape from Telangana.”

Rahul ridiculed the statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there was no difference between the Congress and the TRS. “It was TRS which had supported every Bill of Modi in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha while Congress was fighting against BJP. TRS supported demonesitisation of Modi, BJP candidate in presidential election, no-confidence motion, and the GST,” Rahul said.

Targeting the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, he said TRS and MIM both want Modi to come back to power while the Opposition alliance wants to defeat BJP.

Alleging that the Modi Government had failed to fulfil all the promises made to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation, including a Railway coach factory, steel plant, tribal university, financial incentives and special category status to Andhra, Rahul said Congress will fulfil them.

Rahul said both Modi and KCR failed in keeping the promise of jobs to youth. “In Telangana, only one family got the employment and that was KCR’s family. Only one family has benefited from the resources of Telangana and the assets of KCR’s son (K Taraka Rama Rao) increased by 400%”.

He promised that as soon Congress-led alliance comes to power in the State, debt of farmers to the tune of Rs 2 lakh would be waived, minimum support price will be given for 17 crops, family of every martyr of Telangana cause will be given Rs 10 lakh and political cases will be withdrawn against them. He also promised Rs 1 lakh grant for every self help group of women and Rs 500 crore will be allocated for women entrepreneurs, Rs 5 lakh to build a two room house for every poor family, affordable health care and education, Rs 3,000 allowance to every unemployed youth and one lakh jobs within a year of coming to power.

Chandrababu tried to allay the apprehensions that he was trying to establish his supremacy in Telangana. “I never opposed Telangana State but I only wanted a fair bifurcation,” he said. “I am the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and I am not contesting any election here.”

Refuting the allegations of TRS that he was trying to interfere in the State, Chandrababu said he is all for the unity of Telugu people irrespective of the bifurcation of the State so that both the States can grow and prosper. “I will always stand for the interest of Telangana and its people. Telangana is very dear to me,” he said.