Kickstarting the poll campaign in Telangana, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday promised to conduct a caste census, both in the state and the national level, if his party is voted to power.

He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of deliberately preventing such a census.

Predicting a favourable wave for the Congress in the southern state, Gandhi exhorted party workers to reach out to the masses.

The Gandhi scion, who is on a three-day visit to Telangana, challenged the prime minister to publish the caste census data conducted by the previous Congress government.

Speaking at Kataram and later in Peddapalli, he noted, “Why don’t you (Modi) publish the caste census data conducted by our government?. Why is the Telangana chief minister scared of conducting the caste census? This is because it will result in transparency and it will be clear who controls your money, where that money goes and what it is being spent on. This is why they do not want to do a census here or at the Centre.”

“The moment our government will come to power, we will get the caste census done here. This will be done in Delhi as well,” he added.

Gandhi claimed the money going into the pockets of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi(BRS) would be sufficient to finance the poll promises of the Congress in the state.

The Wayanad MP also urged the people against splitting the anti-incumbency vote. “If you vote for the BJP or AIMIM, it is same as voting for BRS… We have to defeat the BRS here and BJP in Delhi. Do not waste your vote on BJP and AIMIM, your vote should come to the Congress,” he said.

He also said that because he stood up against the BJP, he was disqualified as an MP, his house was taken away and cases were lodged against him. He pointed out that despite the corruption charges over the Kaleshwaram project, there was no ED or CBI inquiry against the chief minister.

Gandhi also tried to lift the morale of Congress workers by saying “There is a wave for Congress in Telangana… Just like tsunami, Congress will come to power.”

Telangana will go to polls on November 3 and results will be announced on December 3.