Congress trying to create rifts between landowners, tenant farmers: CM KCR

My aim is to see that Telangana becomes a 100 per cent poverty-free State. A 100 per cent literate State like Kerala and also agricultural prosperity, said CM KCR

Hyderabad: Amid political slurs and allegations from opposition parties, BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao made a heartfelt appeal on Sunday, asking farmers and voters of Telangana to consider the impact of their choices during the ensuing elections on Telangana’s future. Pointing out that the Congress had admitted that it would provide financial assistance akin to Rythu Bandhu to either farmers or tenant farmers and not to both, he cautioned that such a move would result in unnecessary disputes between the stakeholders.

The Chief Minister, who participated in Praja Ashiravada Sabhas at Khanapur, Jagtial, Vemulawada and Dubbak constituencies on Sunday, turned emotional and said nothing was bigger than the reputation that he earned for achieving Telangana and being able to serve as the Chief Minister of Telangana for the last 10 years. Pointing out that he was over 70 years and that nothing but the future of Telangana mattered to him, Chandrashekhar Rao also rubbished claims of a Congress wave in the State, asserting that the only wave in Telangana was the BRS wave.

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“My aim is to see that Telangana becomes a 100 per cent poverty-free State. A 100 per cent literate State like Kerala and also agricultural prosperity. We are fighting only for that, not for any post. I am 70 years old now. What more do I need in life? So please keep the party policies and leaders in mind before you vote,” he urged the people, also taking a potshot at the Congress, pointing out that there were already 12 Congress leaders vying for the post of Chief Minister. He asked people to compare the previous Congress regime with that of the 10-year BRS rule, and vote cautiously..

Expressing concern about the potential repercussions of altering the ‘Dharani’ land registration system and the Rythu Bandhu scheme, Chandrashekhar Rao recalled the challenges faced by farmers under the previous Congress regime. He cautioned against the Congress party’s proposal to replace the Dharani portal and also extend financial assistance to tenant farmers. He feared that it could jeopardise the hard-fought gains under the BRS government in the last 10 years.

“The Congress leaders who till recently stated that they will extend the agricultural financial assistance to both farmers and tenant farmers, are now openly claiming that only either of them will receive the benefit. This is a serious matter. If financial assistance is given to tenant farmers for three years in a row, there will be a threat to land owners’ rights over their own land,” he warned.

The BRS president urged farmers to safeguard the Dharani portal and their land rights by casting their vote to retain the BRS government in Telangana. He reminded that the BRS reduced the challenges faced by the people under the Congress regime for over 50 years. He stated that Telangana was duped by its local Congress leaders more than it ever was by the rulers of Andhra Pradesh.

“More than Andhra rulers, it was Telangana Congress leaders who duped Telangana. These inefficient Telangana Congress leaders are the reason for the 58 years of sufferings of Telangana. They backstabbed us repeatedly, rather than fighting on our behalf,” he said. He added that the Congress was responsible for the killings of over 400 Telangana agitators in 1969 and also the deaths of Telangana youth during the second phase of statehood agitation. He accused the Congress of delaying formation of Telangana, despite its promise during the 2004 elections.