NALGONDA: Describing the Revanth Reddy government as a “tyrannical regime” for failing to address farmers’ problems and other pressing issues, former minister T Harish Rao on Sunday said that the people are once again leaning towards the BRS with a desire to see K Chandrasekhar Rao return as the chief minister.
The Siddipet MLA was addressing the gathering after welcoming a number of local Congress leaders and cadre into the BRS at an event organised at the Dr BR Ambedkar Junction in Motakondur mandal headquarters in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district.
“Even though Congress is in power, hundreds of senior leaders from that party are joining the BRS. It’s a clear sign that KCR and BRS will return to power,” he said.
“Recent surveys on three years of Congress rule indicated that the people of Telangana want to see KCR return as CM,” he added.
Terming the decade-long rule of KCR as a “farmer-friendly” one, Harish said that the Revanth Reddy government is a tyrannical regime. Accusing the present government of cheating farmers with false promises, he said: “The BRS government used to ensure 24-hour power supply to farmers. The present government is struggling to provide six to seven hours of electricity.”
“The Revanth Reddy government, which promised to provide `15,000 assistance to farmers under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, is cheating the ryots. One season, it provides aid to those who own up to two acres and in the next season, to those who own just one acre,” he said.
The former minister also accused Revanth Reddy of deceiving even God. “He took an oath in the name of Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy to waive farm loans. But loans of not even 50 per cent of farmers were waived though three deadlines have ended since the first deadline of August 15 set by the chief minister,” he said.
Recalling that the KCR government used to provide Rs 5 lakh assistance within a week to kin in the unfortunate event of a farmer’s death, he said that the present government completely scrapped the Rythu Bima scheme.
He further claimed that urea bags used to be delivered directly at the doorsteps of farmers during KCR’s tenure. “Now, the situation has completely changed. Farmers have to stand in long queues because of fertiliser shortages,” he said.
‘Man-made crisis’
Harish, meanwhile, described the current “drought-like” situation as a man-made crisis created by the “failures” of the Revanth Reddy government. “Be it water crisis or power problems, this government blames it on El Nino affect,” he said.
“Though there is no shortage of water in Krishna river, only two out of five motors are being operated at Kalwakurthy. At AMR and SLBC, none of the motors are being switched on,” he added.
During the day, Harish Rao also made a surprise inspection at the Motakondur power substation amid allegations of irregular power supply. During his visit, he expressed anger over the electricity department officials hiding the logbook out of fear that actual power outage details would be exposed. Why are they afraid to show the logbook if they are supplying 24-hour power to farmers? he asked.
I don’t own any guest houses: Harish
Responding to a query on the ongoing inspections by the Congress leaders at farmhouses and other properties allegedly owned by the BRS leaders and their families, former minister T Harish Rao said that he owns no guest houses.
He, however, raised questions about structures built in the lakes or within the full tank level of water bodies by Congress leaders, including the chief minister’s brother, senior leader KVP Ramachandra Rao, Government Whip Mahender Reddy, and Legislative Council chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy. He urged the authorities to inspect all these locations and demolish any farmhouses constructed by Congress leaders within full tank level of lakes.
