Addressing the gathering, Rama Rao charged the Chief Minister with deceiving farmers with unfulfilled promises of loan waivers and financial schemes. He stated that the Congress government owes around Rs 17,500 per acre to farmers under Rythu Bharosa in Telangana
Published Date – 17 January 2025, 06:18 PM
BRS working president KT Rama Rao
Hyderabad: Taking the ongoing tussle between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS by several notches up, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Friday threw down the gauntlet to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his Cabinet Ministers, offering that his party MLAs will resign enmasse, if the Congress proves that crop loans of 100 per cent farmers in any village of Telangana are waived. He said the Congress utterly failed to waive loans upto Rs 2 lakh for all farmers.
“If the Chief Minister is honest, let us both visit your hometown Kondareddypalle or his Kodangal. If farmers in any village confirm that loans are fully waived, we will resign. If not, I challenge you to political asceticism,” he declared, while participating in the Rythu Maha Dharna at Shabad of Chevella constituency in Rangareddy district.
He also revealed plans for a farmers’ protests in Nalgonda on January 21, followed by district-wise Rythu Deeksha gatherings to demand the implementation of Congress’s six guarantees.
Addressing the gathering, Rama Rao charged the Chief Minister with deceiving farmers with unfulfilled promises of loan waivers and financial schemes. He stated that the Congress government owes around Rs 17,500 per acre to farmers under Rythu Bharosa in Telangana.
He demanded that the Congress government extend Rythu Bharosa benefits to tenant farmers starting January 26, increasing the payout to Rs 15,000 per acre. He warned that failing to deliver on this promise would result in widespread protests across the State.
“Under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao‘s leadership, Rythu Bandhu payments were made timely during sowing operations. Now, the Congress government provides funds only during elections, abandoning farmers for the rest of the term,” he said.
Highlighting the plight of women, the BRS working president said the Congress failed to deliver on its promise of Rs 2,500 monthly support which translates to around Rs 30,000.
He said under Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes, the Congress government owes Rs 80,000 each in gold to nearly 5 lakh young women who were married after the Congress came to power.
“The Congress’s promises for women and young girls have become hollow assurances. It’s time for the government to deliver or face the consequences in upcoming local body elections,” he declared.
Despite the Congress government turning a deaf ear for action against turncoat MLAs, he declared that by-elections were inevitable in Chevella and other constituencies where BRS MLAs defected to the Congress.
Taking a dig at the Congress’ six guarantees, Rama Rao said only half guarantee is being implemented. “Revanth Reddy claims all six guarantees are implemented, but only free buses for women has materialised, and even those lack routes to many towns,” he quipped. He charged the Congress government with prioritising optics over actual relief for the people.
Calling the Congress government deceitful, the former Minister urged farmers and voters to hold Congress leaders accountable during local body elections.
“The people of Telangana must demand answers for the betrayal of promises, from crop loan waivers to gold for marriages. Cheating cases should be filed against Revanth Reddy and Rahul Gandhi for misleading the people of the State, with their false promises,” he said.
He vowed to continue fighting for farmers despite obstacles. “Revanth Reddy may file cases or send us to jail, but we will not back down. This is just the beginning of our fight to ensure justice for farmers,” he asserted. He added that people will reject the Congress, unless all promises are delivered.
Meanwhile, Rama Rao received a rousing welcome upon his arrival in Chevella for the Rythu Maha Dharna, with the BRS cadre taking out a massive rally till the protest venue.