A political storm erupted after the Telangana Congress government’s advertisements, published in Hindi newspapers across Bihar, omitted photos of former party president Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
The ads focused on the state’s caste census and increased reservation for Backwards Classes (BCs), but featured only Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.
BJP national spokesperson Ajay Alok took to the social media platform X to highlight the absence of the Gandhi family in the Telangana government’s publicity material.
“For the first time, an advertisement of a Congress government, that too on caste census, lacks the pictures of ‘Rajmata and Yuvaraj’. Is this a sign of a new era for Congress? ‘Gandhi-free Congress’ – this idea will enthuse Congress workers,” he posted.
Ajay Alok’s post sparked backlash from Congress supporters and other users, who criticised both his comments and tone.
One user sarcastically replied by posting a Manipur government ad, stating, “The superhero hasn’t shown up.” Others condemned the language used in Alok’s post, with one user accusing him of spreading ideological poison.
In response to the outrage, the BJP spokesperson acknowledged the criticism, writing, “Got a bit too excited. A shower of abuses is pouring in.”
The Telangana government published the ads on Friday, targeting readers in Bihar, where Assembly elections are due in October-November.
The ads aimed to showcase Congress-led Telangana’s commitment to social justice, especially among Backwards Classes.
Earlier this year, the state conducted a caste census and passed two Bills in March to increase the BC reservation from 23% to 42% in education, employment, and local bodies.
Though the Telangana Assembly passed the Bills, they await Presidential assent. With no approval from the Centre yet, the state Cabinet recently cleared an ordinance to implement the 42% BC reservation in the upcoming local body elections.
The incident has not only sparked a political spat but also raised questions about Congress’s evolving internal dynamics and its visual messaging strategy ahead of key state and national elections.
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