Prove farms got 24x7 power, I will not contest: Revanth

Hyderabad: Telangana’s Congress president A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday said he would not file his nomination papers if the BRS government could prove that it had implemented 24-hour-power supply to the farm sector.

Speaking at various public meetings in Alampur, Gadwal, and Maktal Assembly constituencies, Revanth Reddy dared Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao or his son and minister K.T. Rama Rao to accompany him to any substation in the area and examine the records.

“Sampath (Congress candidate from Alampur) and I will not file nominations if it is proved that the BRS government-supplied power 24x7,” he said.

Revanth Reddy dared the BRS to prove that he had announced a three-hour power supply to the farm sector if Congress came to power. “The Congress alone has the patent over free power to the farm sector as it introduced the scheme in 2004. Our governments waived power arrears and dropped cases against farmers,” he said adding that the Congress would ensure a 24-hour power supply to the farm sector.

He also wondered how the number of agricultural pump sets increased from 18 lakh to 25 lakh if Chandrashekar Rao’s claims on improving irrigation facilities were true. The Chief Minister failed to fulfil the promise of providing Rs 100 crore for the development of the Jogulamba temple. All through he (KCR) has been resorting to gross lies and I can see the grit and determination of people to defeat him this time, he added.

The PCC chief announced that Congress would include the “boya” caste in Scheduled Tribes and extend political benefit by making a boya a Member of the Legislative Council. He said the Congress gave four tickets to candidates from the Mudiraj community against none by BRS. Revanth cautioned voters against KCR, KTR, and Harish conspiring to defeat the Congress.

On the Chief Minister’s warning to farmers that scrapping of Dharani would stop Rythu Bandhu's assistance, the PCC chief took exception stating that then Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy extended financial assistance to farmers when there was no Dharani.

“The Dharani portal was misused by the Kalvakunta family to amass thousands of acres illegally. They made Rs 1 lakh crore and if you give them a chance for a third time they would siphon off Rs 3 lakh crore. “We will bring more scientific and foolproof portals in place of Dharani,” he pointed out.