T'gana Cong chief's remarks on free electricity for farmers kick up storm

Hyderabad, July 11: Telangana Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy's remarks about free electricity to farmers has kicked up a storm in the state politics with ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) staging protest against what it calls his anti-farmers stand while the opposition party has initiated steps for the damage control. 

Revanth Reddy, who is currently on a visit to the United States, made certain remarks about the 24-hour free electricity scheme during a meeting of Telugu Association of North America (TANA). 

Stating that 95 per cent of the farmers in the state are small and marginal farmers owning less than three acres of land, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president said that every farmer can irrigate three acres with three-hour electricity supply every day. 

He went on to add that eight-hour electricity supply to the agriculture sector is sufficient. 

The TPCC chief alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was misleading people with 24-hour electricity supply and was misusing this for political gains. 

Ruling BRS was quick to grab the opportunity to target the Congress party with the allegation that it is against agriculture and farmers. 

BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao called for a two-day protest across the state against what he called anti-farmer policies of the Congress party. 

The BRS leaders also alleged that if voted to power the Congress party will do away with the 24-hour free electricity supply to farmers being implemented by their government for the last nine years. 

With Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year, the BRS apparently is trying to politically cash in on the remarks made by Revanth Reddy. 

It alleged that Revanth Reddy opposed free electricity to farmers. BRS asked the party cadres to burn the effigies of the Congress party in every village. 

KTR stated that the Congress party has the history of betraying the farmers by not supplying them electricity. 

"Congress party is the number one enemy of farmers. Revanth's statement has once again exposed the party," said energy minister Jagdish Reddy. 

With the BRS launching an attack, the Congress party began damage control exercise. 

Its leaders alleged that the BRS was trying to distort Revanth Reddy's statement. 

Senior Congress leader Mallu Ravi claimed that Congress party has the patent right on free electricity. 

He reminded BRS leaders that it was the Congress party which launched the free electricity scheme for farmers. 

Alleging that BRS was trying to distort Revanth Reddy's statement, Mallu Ravi said the TPCC president was talking about the irregularities in power purchase. 

Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said since he is the party's campaigner, his word and not that of Revanth Reddy should be given importance. 

Stating that Congress is committed to its promise of 24-hour free electricity to farmers, he recalled that it was Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who had started the scheme. 

TPCC working president Ponnam Prabhakar said the Congress was the only party which was working for the welfare of farmers.

He said the BRS was distorting the remarks of Revanth Reddy. 

Another working president Mahesh Kumar Goud alleged that KTR was trying to mislead farmers by distorting Revanth Reddy’s statement. 

Alleging that there is a Rs 1,000 crore corruption behind free electricity, he said Revanth Reddy was speaking about the same.