Uttam Kumar Reddy plans deeksha for loan waiver

Hyderabad: TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has decided to take one-day deeksha in Hyderabad this month seeking one time waiver of farm loans and other issues. Mr Reddy will also approach the Assembly Speaker for permission to give a PowerPoint presentation in the Assembly on the status of irrigation projects and how Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was taking people for a ride and escalating project costs.

In a chit chat with media persons, the TPCC chief spoke on proposed party programmes, taking up public issues, internal Congress feuds, farmers’ issues and others here on Tuesday. “I haven’t decided on the date, but I will take the deeksha in Hyderabad this month. We have decided to organise Rythu Garjana meeting at Adilabad on July 30. Prior to that, there will be a party meeting in Peddapalli,” he said.

Stating that acceptance by some farmers to give their lands for the Mallannasagar project hasn’t died down, Mr Reddy said Congress would stand by affected farmers and ensure adequate compensation. “There is no need for 50 tmc ft reservoir. We wanted to give PowerPoint presentation in Ravindra Bharathi, but permission was denied,” he said. Accusing the K. Chandrasekhar Rao family of dividing districts like one for son, one for daughter, nephew etc, Mr Reddy said Congress would not put up any demand for the number of districts but leave the demand to the local party leaders in the respective districts.

“Carving of new districts should be done scientifically and not according to whims and fancies of some. In fact, where is the need for such urgency to carve new districts where delimitation of constituencies is going to take place soon,” he remarked. On the long-standing feud between him and Komatireddy brothers, he denied such a scenario. “Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and I are good friends. There are no differences between us. Some people are deliberately trying to create a wedge between us by spreading rumours,” he said.