Congress has history of not fulfilling its election promises: AIMIM chief Owaisi

Owaisi said that the Congress was betraying the people even as the grand old party has been repeatedly asserting that it would implement all its promises if it is voted to power in Telangana.

"This is election season. They are making promises as they like. It is another matter whether they are all implemented or not. You can see in Karnataka, after the promises were made, scholarships of poor children were reduced. There is no electricity for farmers. The promises of Congress never get fulfilled. They make promises to deceive and that is their history," the Hyderabad MP said.

On senior Congress leader P Chidambaram apologising for the loss of lives during the Telangana statehood agitation, Owaisi said realisation dawned on the grand old party too late in the day.

The Congress did not carry out bifurcation of undivided Andhra Pradesh properly, leaving issues related to river water sharing and division of assets between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana unresolved, he alleged. In the upcoming polls in Telangana, Owaisi expressed confidence that his party would win all the nine seats in which it is contesting.

"Our campaigning is going good. AIMIM's specialty is that we don't only prepare for elections, but we are with the people throughout the 12 months. Our leaders are accessible, and I hope that all our seven MLAs will win and we will also succeed in Rajendra Nagar and Jubilee Hills seats," he said.

Owaisi highlighted that several schemes for minority welfare have been implemented during the last nine-and-half years of the BRS government following AIMIM's representation. "No communal riots happened (in Telangana during the BRS regime)," he added. The AIMIM has declared support for the ruling BRS in the assembly elections in constituencies where the former is not in the fray.

Asked about the reported statement of Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy that BJP's "bulldozer" government will be formed in Telangana, Owaisi said the party wants to associate it with "destruction" as a bulldozer is a sign of destruction and not of prosperity. On the Israel-Hamas conflict, Owaisi called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. (with agency inputs)