Row over Rythu Discoms in Telangana
Hyderabad: BRS working president and former minister Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday, questioning how the CM could talk about setting up 'Rythu Discoms' for farmers.
Addressing a BRS extended meeting of the Cantonment constituency in Hyderabad, KTR said people had seen how stable the power situation was in Hyderabad during K Chandrashekar Rao's tenure. 'KCR has the distinction of being the only leader in the country's history to provide 24-hour free power to farmers,' he remarked.
KTR alleged that while the Congress was defeated at the Centre, people of Telangana had brought it to power in the state and were now facing the consequences. Referring to the Cantonment by-election, he recalled that minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy had promised to build 6,000 houses. 'Forget 6,000 houses, the government is in no position to build even six houses,' KTR said. He pointed out that one lakh double-bedroom houses were built during KCR's regime and asked whether the current government had constructed even a single house in two and a half years. He dared the Congress government to show proof if any houses had been built.
Taking a dig at the Chief Minister, KTR said Revanth Reddy was moving around with scissors and ribbon in his pocket, inaugurating flyovers that were constructed during KCR's tenure.
Will quit politics if 24-hour free power is stopped, says CM
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had thrown a challenge to BRS, saying he would not contest elections if his government failed to supply 24-hour free power to agriculture or installed meters to motors. He accused KCR of trying to gain a political lifeline by using farmers as a shield.
Revanth said his government had set up a dedicated 'Rythu Discom' for farmers, the first of its kind in the country. He explained that the move would allow the government to procure power at lower rates and increase accountability in the sector.
The Chief Minister alleged that the BJP government at the Centre had only announced Minimum Support Price but was not procuring even a single grain. He said the Telangana government was procuring paddy, jowar, and maize in full and had so far collected 62 lakh metric tonnes of paddy. He added that support price was being extended even to soaked grain and that bonus would be given for fine variety paddy.
Issuing a warning to BJP leaders, Revanth said if they took buses to Delhi to protest, his government would bring paddy in tractors and dump it in front of their houses.
On interstate water disputes, Revanth said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was only making statements, while the Maharashtra Chief Minister was not giving an appointment to discuss Tummidihatti.
He also alleged that Globalena was KTR's benami company and questioned why Harish Rao was silent on the alleged irregularities at Edulakunta tank.
Revanth Reddy said creating regional and caste disputes around NTR's statue showed lack of wisdom. He stressed that his focus remained entirely on development.
At the Cantonment meeting, KTR gave directions to party workers on the ongoing SIR exercise. He urged the cadre to stay active at the grassroots and expose what he called the Congress government's failures on power, housing, and agriculture.
The exchange marks a fresh escalation in the political war of words between the ruling Congress and the BRS over power supply to farmers and welfare schemes, with both sides trading challenges ahead of upcoming electoral battles.
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