Special: Politico KCR a farmer at heart

Hyderabad: TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao is not only a fiery politician and orator but also a progressive and money-spinning farmer.

In a bid to ward off criticism of whiling away time in his “farmhouse” by rivals like TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and others, Rao invited a group of journalists to his farm on Thursday.

“Some people talk ill about me. This is not a luxury farmhouse, but a normal farm. I raise potatoes, coloured capsicum, vegetables, paddy and others food crops. We have 900 odd coconut trees besides some mango, teak and other plantations. I developed the farm from scratch and enjoy farming,” he said.

Dressed in all white and wearing a hat, the TRS chief exuded confidence that he might earn Rs 5 crore to Rs 8 crore from his modern 59-acre farm in Erevalli village of Jagdevpur mandal in Medak district.

He has cultivated potatoes on 45 acres and yellow and red capsicum on about 10 acres and plans to sell the same to traders in New Delhi and Mumbai.

“Farming is remunerative, provided there is proper management and modern technology is used. I made sufficient earnings in the past too,” says the farmer, adding, “There is no need for the youth to hunt for jobs if they have some farmland.”

After the formation of Telangana, the major focus would be on modernisation of agriculture, solar power, marketing and ensuring remunerative prices for farm produce, irrigation and power sectors, he says.

Rao, who learnt farming from agri experts and friends, has built a house on the farm, manned by half-a-dozen cops round-the-clock.

The farm has a dozen greenhouses, six borewells, a one-acre tank to store six crore litres of rainwater, solar powered borewells on trial basis, a stand-by generator, a dozen milch cattle, sheep, tractors, a mini vehicle, drip irrigation in the entire fenced farm, electronically-monitored NetaJet water supply system mixed with soluble fertilisers and other ingredients, road net work and street lights among other infrastructure.

There are 60 odd labourers who live on the farm and have all facilities, including homegrown vegetables and paddy for daily consumption.

“My father was a progressive farmer. A friend and classmate Jahangir forced me to take up farming. We bought the 59-acre land in my son K.T. Rama Rao’s and in my name some years back, but it remained unused. We started work only four years back. In the first one-and-a-half years, we focused on infrastructure and the actual farming began later,” he said.

“Initially, we took a loan of Rs 45 lakh from the Bank of Baroda. We then took Rs 3 crore for further development. We also got Rs 90 lakh subsidy from the National Horticulture Board. If the crop yield is good, we can clear off the loans this season.”

According to Rao, Telangana state should be divided into crop colonies with a focus on select crops in two districts like paddy, greenhouses and others, besides development of quality seeds. “The country and every state should be self-sufficient in food grains,” he said.

To a question, Shravan Reddy, who accompanied the scribes, said electricity bills were being paid as per government norms.

KCR?asserts UPA will do a hat-trick

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao doesn’t rule out the UPA’s chances of returning to power for the third time in a row.

Nor is he unduly perturbed over the Chief Minister divesting the pro-Telangana D. Sridhar Babu of the legislative affairs portfolio.

And he expects the AP Reorganisation Bill to have a smooth passage in Parliament in February.

T can pass easily in Delhi, says KCR

In an informal chat with his partymen at his farm on Thursday, Rao is reported to have said that “the UPA may return to power for the third time despite the BJP’s vigorous pursuit. The Aam Admi Party is turning into another Chiru party (the erstwhile Praja Rajyam of Chiranjeevi) by cutting down the votes of the BJP as happened in New Delhi. The AAP may have some influence in Haryana and other states, but not in the South”.

Sources said the TRS chief said he had information that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy was planning to float a new political party to hold sway over the Seemandhra region and Congress MP Lagdapati Rajagopal was aiding him.

But Rao was certain that “no one can stop Telangana at this juncture”. “The developments in the state will have no bearing on the draft Telangana Bill. Parliament is supreme and alone has powers to bifurcate a state. The Congress needs a simple majority of one-tenth of the House to pass the Bill. It can pass the Bill even if the BJP backs out for any reason, though it may not do so. What Kiran Kumar Reddy is doing is sheer madness and trying to play to the gallery,” Rao reportedly said.

When some perturbed party men brought up the subject of divesting Sridhar Babu of his portfolio on the eve of the Assembly session, Rao reportedly said it was not a worry.

“Telangana is a foregone conclusion. The elections, too, will be held as scheduled. If delimitation takes place for increase in Assembly seats in Telangana, a provisional government will be formed. There could be new alliances and new formations,” he explained.

Rao revealed other plans such as a 10-day mega Ayutha Chandi Yagam, the ultimate in yagams, to be held at his farm in Erevalli village, Jagdevpur mandal in Medak district, or any other suitable place, after Telangana is formed.

The yagam will be for world peace and development of Telangana and 4,500 priests and their assistants will be lending their holy presence to the event.

KCR: T can pass easily in Delhi

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao doesn’t rule out the UPA’s chances of returning to power for the third time in a row.

Nor is he unduly perturbed over the Chief Minister divesting the pro-Telangana D. Sridhar Babu of the legislative affairs portfolio.

And he expects the AP Reorganisation Bill to have a smooth passage in Parliament in February.

In an informal chat with his partymen at his farm on Thursday, Rao is reported to have said that “the UPA may return to power for the third time despite the BJP’s vigorous pursuit. The Aam Admi Party is turning into another Chiru party (the erstwhile Praja Rajyam of Chiranjeevi) by cutting down the votes of the BJP as happened in New Delhi. The AAP may have some influence in Haryana and other states, but not in the south”.

Sources said the TRS chief told them that he has information that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy was planning to float a new political party to hold sway over the Seemandhra region and Congress MP Lagdapati Rajagopal was aiding him.

But Rao was certain that “no one can stop Telangana at this juncture”.

“The developments in the state will have no bearing on the draft Telangana Bill. Parliament is supreme and alone has powers to bifurcate a state. The Congress needs a simple majority of the House to pass the Bill. It can pass the Bill even if the BJP backs out for any reason, though it may not do so. What Kiran Kumar Reddy is doing is sheer madness and trying to play to the gallery,” Rao reportedly said.

When some perturbed party men brought up the subject of divesting Sridhar Babu of his portfolio on the eve of the Assembly session, Rao reportedly said it was not a worry.

Rao revealed other plans such as a 10-day mega Ayudha Chandi Yagam, the ultimate in yagams, to be held at his farm in Erevalli village, Jagdevpur mandal in Medak district, or any other suitable place, after Telangana is formed.

The yagam will be for world peace and development of Telangana and 4,500 priests and their assistants will be lending their holy presence to the event.