On Gandhi Siblings' Dynasty Charge, A Reply From KCR's Son And Daughter

Hitting out at the Gandhi siblings over their dynasty charge in the run-up to Telangana polls, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar's minister son and MLC daughter have said it is funny when great-grandchildren of Jawaharlal Nehru and grandchildren of Indira Gandhi speak about "family politics".

The Congress has launched a high-voltage campaign to unseat the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi in the November 30 Assembly election.

Top leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are holding rallies and roadshows in the poll-bound state and targeting BRS chief and Chief Minister KCR. Their verbal attacks have sparked fiery responses from Telangana minister and KCR's son KT Rama Rao and his sister and Legislative Council member K Kavitha.

Responding to Ms Gandhi Vadra's remarks on accommodating family members in the cabinet, Ms Kavitha said "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".

"Priyanka Gandhi ji, the great-great-granddaughter of Motilal Nehru ji, great-granddaughter of Jawahar Lal Nehru ji, granddaughter of Indira Gandhi ji and daughter of Rajiv Gandhi ji, is talking about family politics. This is the funniest thing I have heard in the whole election campaign," she told reporters in Armoor. 

Ms Kavitha has also hit out at Rahul Gandhi, saying he can visit Telangana as a tourist, enjoy its delicacy Ankapur chicken and go back. "You have no place in Telangana. That is why Mr Rahul ji we want to call you only Election Gandhi not Rahul Gandhi. This (name Rahul Gandhi) does not suit you when you come to Telangana. When you come to Nizamabad, have Ankapur chicken, which is very popular here. We welcome you to come here as a tourist and please go. Thank you so much," she told reporters in Bodhan.

Addressing a rally in Mulugu, Ms Gandhi Vadra had slammed the KCR government, saying the people of Telangana had dreamt of social justice, but three ministers are from the Chief Minister's family.

Her brother and MP Rahul Gandhi, too, has targeted KCR over dynasty politics. At a roadshow in Bhupalpally today, he said the people of Telangana, who had joined the statehood movement, had dreamt of a state where the common man would govern. "But in the last 10 years, your Chief Minister KCR has distanced himself from the people, and only his family is ruling the state. He has shattered your dream," he said. Mr Gandhi also said this is a "Dorala Telangana (feudal lords) vs Prajala Telangana (common people)" fight in the state.

In a sharp response to the dynasty charge, Telangana minister and KCR's son KT Rama Rao said it is "ridiculous" that a member of the Gandhi family was accusing KCR of promoting his family members within the party and the government.