Reiterating that the TDP will make all efforts to bail out farmers from debts, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has assured them of implementing the recommendations of MS Swaminathan Committee and remunerative prices for their produce once his party comes to power.
Addressing a public meeting at Guntakal Old Bus Stand on Sunday, on the 13th day of his ‘Meekosam Vasthunna’ padayatra in Anantapur district, he said the Congress government had cheated the farmers in the name of free power.
Once in power, the Congress completely ignored the farming community. On the one hand it was going on increasing the prices of fertilisers, seeds and diesel and on the other it was not supplying the required power for irrigating the fields. Due to its inefficiency, the government forced the farmers to observe a crop holiday in the delta area, which was known as the rice bowl of the state, he alleged. The scams of the Congress leaders and their relatives, which were tumbling out of the cupboards every other day, were making people aware of the deep-rooted corruption among Congress leaders. People would teach them a lesson, he said and appealed to the public to give their mandate to the TDP for restoring the past glory of the state.
Earlier, Naidu met the party cadres at the Hanuman circle before beginning his padayatra. He thanked all of them for making his walkathon a success in the district and wanted the party leaders to sort out all their differences.
He offered prayers at Masthanvali Dargah and explained to the gathering there about the minority declaration announced by the TDP.
At the Dargah, Chaman, a close associate of the late TDP leader Paritala Ravindra was taken into custody by the police for participating in the padayatra. He was, however, set free later.