KHAMMAM: Launching a scathing attack on former MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Rao, Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao on Friday said that those expelled from the BRS are now joining the Congress.
Addressing the gathering after handing over pattas to podu farmers in Khammam, he said that the pink party has now been purged of bad people and backstabbers.
“The BRS has now become ‘cleaner’ after some leaders left the party in the district. Deadwood who have been expelled from the BRS are now joining the Congress,” the Minister said. Referring to the much-publicised public meeting to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi in Khammam on July 2, he said that the Congress leader knew nothing about Telangana. “He is going to only parrot the script written by Telangana Congress leaders,” he said.
The Minister also predicted that the BRS would win all the 10 Assembly seats in the erstwhile Khammam district in the next elections. Harish Rao, along with Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar, also distributed pattas to podu farmers at Palvoncha.
‘Golden period for tribals’
Speaking on the occasion, he said that every podu farmer who receives pattas would be provided with Rythu Bandhu benefits, free power, fertilisers, seeds and farm tools on subsidy from the State government.
As many as 55,500 farmers, the highest in the State, received pattas for 1,51,195 acres in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.
Expressing his delight over distributing pattas among podu farmers, he said that tribals were witnessing a golden period under Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s rule.
The podu farmers can now cultivate their lands without any fear of action from officials, he said.
“Podu land cultivators would enjoy many benefits as their names would be included in Dharani portal and they would be issued passbooks. They would become eligible for `10,000 per acre Rythu Bandhu aid and `5 lakh accident insurance coverage,” he added.
Harish Rao assured that he would speak to the chief minister and ensure the withdrawal of cases filed against tribals for holding protests over the podu land pattas issue.
Accusing the Congress government of neglecting tribals when it was in power, he said that the credit for turning tandas into gram panchayats would go to KCR government.
Puvvada Ajay Kumar said that the long-pending dream of tribal farmers to get pattas was fulfilled by the CM.
Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao, Rajya Sabha MP Vaddiraju Ravichandra, MLC Tata Madhu, MLAs Vanama Venkateswara Rao, Haripriya, Ramulu Naik, and Meccha Nageswara Rao, Government Whip Rega Kantha Rao, Special Chief Secretary (Finance) Ramakrishna Rao, Kothagudem District Collector D Anudeep, ITDA project officer Potru Gowtham and other officials participated in the programme.