Senior Congress leader T. Jagga Reddy paid glowing tributes to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on her birthday, describing her as a transformative leader who upheld the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and steered the country towards inclusive growth through landmark welfare initiatives.Speaking at Sonia Gandhi’s birthday celebrations held in Sangareddy on Tuesday, Mr Jagga Reddy said that Sonia Gandhi was responsible for path breaking schemes like Employment Guarantee Scheme, ensuring livelihood opportunities and improving the economic condition of millions across the nation. “Sonia Gandhi is a great leader who empowered the poor with dignity and opportunity,” he said.Calling her the “daughter-in-law of India and Indira Gandhi, whom the people of India revere as a divine figure,” he said that Ms. Gandhi left a distinct and lasting imprint on Indian politics and also Telangana, which wouldn’t have been possible without her commitment.It was with Ms. Gandhi’s ideas that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had introduced path-breaking schemes like free bus travel for women, 200 units of free electricity, LPG cylinder at ₹500 and fine quality subsidised rice — all centred around women’s development as she believed that taking care of women was like taking care of the country.Mr. Reddy recalled that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi had promised Indiramma housing for the poor in Telangana, and the Revanth Reddy government has started implementing the scheme.Published - December 09, 2025 07:54 pm IST