Will rebuild Rama temple if voted: KTR

BRS working president and minister K.T. Rama Rao said that the BRS government would rebuild the Bhadradri Lord Rama temple at Bhadrachalam on par with the Yadadri temple if it retains power for a third term.

He was speaking at an event on Thursday where Khammam Congress leader Tellam Venkat Rao, a key aide of former Khammam MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, joined the BRS, at Telangana Bhavan.

Srinivas Reddy, who the BRS had suspended in April for anti-party activities, joined the Congress in July. Venkat Rao contested as a YSRC candidate from the Mahabubabad Lok Sabha seat in 2014 but lost to a BRS candidate. He later joined the BRS and contested the 2018 elections from Bhadrachalam but lost to the Congress’ Podem Veeriah. He joined the Congress along with Srinivas Reddy in July this year.

The BRS leadership reportedly confirmed his candidature for the Bhadrachalam seat in upcoming Assembly polls.

Welcoming Venkat Rao and other local leaders from Khammam district back into the BRS, Rama Rao criticised TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy for his comments that three-hour free power to agriculture was enough as a majority of the farmers owned just up to 3 acres.

"The Congress came to power in Karnataka by making several promises but is not in a position to implement them. Karnataka is facing huge power cuts now. Even capital Bengaluru is not spared. In Telangana, Revanth Reddy says three-hour power is enough for agriculture. If people elect the Congress, Telangana will plunge into darkness again with power shortage," Rama Rao said.

He also lashed out at the BJP, accusing the Centre of pressuring states to stop free power to agriculture by pressuring them to install meters in agriculture pumpsets. "Both Congress and BJP are against free power to agriculture. Only BRS government provides 24-hour free power to agriculture,"  he said.

Rama Rao claimed that the Modi government had stopped nearly '30,000 crore loans to Telangana for not installing meters at agriculture pumpsets. “Our CM KCR decided to forego loans in the interest of farmers," Rama Rao stated.