Hyderabad: The Congress is gearing up to announce five significant 'guarantees' to the people of Telangana in anticipation of the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections. These assurances will be unveiled at a public rally scheduled for September 17, with the notable presence of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, according to A Revanth Reddy, the state Congress president and Member of Parliament.

It's worth noting that the first meeting of the newly-formed Congress Working Committee (CWC), under the leadership of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, is slated to take place in Hyderabad on September 16. This will be followed by an extended CWC meeting on September 17, which will include all Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chiefs. The Congress had previously released the 'Farmers Declaration,' 'SC, ST Declaration,' and 'Youth Declaration,' outlining its commitments to the Telangana electorate in the forthcoming assembly polls. In the neighboring state of Karnataka, the 'five guarantees' put forth by Congress were believed to have played a pivotal role in the party's electoral success.

In contrast, the ruling BRS party in Telangana has already declared candidates for 115 out of the total 119 Assembly seats. Meanwhile, September 17 holds special significance in Telangana, as it marks the day when the erstwhile Hyderabad State, formerly under Nizam rule, merged with the Indian Union in 1948. Both the Union Government and various political parties have planned events in Hyderabad to commemorate this historic day, considering the upcoming elections.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had participated in the official celebration of 'Liberation Day' organized by the Centre in Hyderabad last year, and it is expected that he will attend this year's event in the Telangana capital as well. The significance of September 17, 1948, is interpreted differently by various political parties in Telangana. The CPI, for instance, has scheduled week-long events from September 11-17 to commemorate the Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle (1946-51), a movement led by the Communists, which ultimately compelled the Nizam to merge Hyderabad State with the Indian Union.

The AIMIM, led by Asaduddin Owaisi, plans to organize a bike rally and public meeting on September 17, celebrating it as 'national integration day.' In contrast, the BJP has long been advocating for the official celebration of September 17 as 'Liberation Day,' emphasizing its historical significance. Last year, the BRS government declared the day as National Integration Day, a decision that has been criticized by Union Tourism Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy. Reddy alleged that the Congress and BRS had refrained from officially celebrating September 17 during their tenures due to the influence of AIMIM.

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