Hans News Service Hyderabad

TelanganaPradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president T Jagga Reddy on Saturday made a strong pitch for the Congress party’s return to power at the national level, stating that the party must secure a decisive majority in the next Lok Sabha elections to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of India.

Addressing the media at Gandhi Bhavan, Jagga Reddy said the Congress should aim to win more than 300 of the 543 parliamentary seats, and, if delimitation expands the number of constituencies, should target over 500 of the projected 850 seats.

Referring to a “Cockroach Janata Party” in his remarks, he urged the online group to use social media platforms to highlight what he described as the contrast between development during the Congress era and the present Modi government.

He said the intent behind the so-called “Cockroach movement” remained unclear and suggested that Rahul Gandhi should extend support to it, adding that clarity on the issue should come from the party’s top leadership.

Jagga Reddy described Rahul Gandhi’s “Samvidhan Bachao” (Save the Constitution) campaign as “critical,” saying the Constitution drafted by Dr BR Ambedkar acts as a protective framework for citizens, similar to the “Kavacha Kundalas” of Karna in the Mahabharata.

He said protecting constitutional values was central to the Congress party’s ideology and to Rahul Gandhi’s political message. The TPCC leader credited earlier Congress governments with shaping India’s modern development. He said Indira Gandhi nationalised banks to expand financial access, while Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation for the Information Technology revolution and lowered the voting age to 18.

He also cited welfare initiatives under the Congress-led UPA government headed by Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which he said ensured employment security for rural households.

Jagga Reddy accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing institutions and questioned the fairness of democratic processes, referring to the Election Commission while alleging erosion of electoral integrity.

He also accused the BJP of using religion in politics and failing to fulfill major promises, including large-scale job creation.

Jagga Reddy further cited rising national debt levels, claiming that public debt had increased significantly since 2014 and arguing that governance standards had declined under the present government.

Calling for strong electoral support for Congress, Jagga Reddy said a decisive mandate would help address issues such as Special Category Status and key infrastructure projects like Polavaram to Andhra Pradesh. He urged voters to exercise their franchise carefully and support what he described as constitutional and inclusive governance.

Jagga Reddy said he personally participates in religious traditions such as 'Sita Rama Kalyanam' but does not seek votes in the name of religion. He accused political opponents of misusing religious symbolism for electoral gain.

Reiterating his position, he said Rahul Gandhi should lead the country as Prime Minister and described the Congress party as a collective movement rather than a leader-centric organization.

He added that the outcome of the next general elections would determine whether India continues on its current path or returns to what he called constitutional governance under the Congress party.