Rythu Bandhu scheme an election gimmick to hoodwink farmers: Telangana Congress president Uttam Kumar Reddy

HYDERABAD:  Making it clear that the Congress is not against payment of Rs 4,000 per acre investment support to each farmer in the state, Telangana Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy has, however, termed the Rythu Bandhu scheme launched by the sate government as a gimmick to hoodwink farmers in the run-up to the 2019 elections. He demanded that the minimum support price (MSP) for all agricultural commodities be increased by 25 per cent immediately if chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was really sincere about providing succour to the farming community.

“Had KCR been really committed to the welfare of farmers, he would have introduced the Rythu Bandhu scheme three years ago.As elections are nearing, he has suddenly initiated the scheme with an eye on farmers’ votes,” he remarked. Addressing mediapersons along with leader of opposition in the Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir, former minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, TPCC Kisan Cell chairman M Kodanda Reddy, MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy and others at Gandhi Bhavan here on Thursday, Uttam said Rythu Bandhu was nothing more than an election gimmick and financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre would not help the farmers in any manner. 

Alleging that about 4,000 farmers had committed suicide in the state in the four years of TRS rule, the TPCC chief said none other than the chief minister KCR was responsible for those suicides.“KCR had no time to console the families of deceased farmers. He did not pay compensation of Rs 6 lakh under GO 421 to any of the kin of the farmers who committed suicide. KCR did not honour the commitment he gave on the floor of the Assembly that government would pay the interest that got accumulated due to splitting the crop loan waiver amount into four instalments. Even though budgets of Rs 6.75 lakh crore was presented and Rs 2.5 lakh crore of loans were raised in four years, not a single rupee has been spent to provide remunerative prices for agri produce,” he said.

Vanteru and Errabelli’s son-in-law to join Congress
Two key leaders from the TDP — Vanteru Prathap Reddy, who had unsuccessfully contested against CM KCR from Gajwel Assembly segment during 2014 polls, and K Madan Mohan Rao, son-in-law of TRS MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao — are learnt to have decided to join Congress. While Prathap Reddy is considered a strong leader in Gajwel segment, Madan Mohan Rao had secured third position from Zahirabad Lok Sabha segment in 2014 elections as TDP candidate.