KTR challenges Revanth Reddy for Kodangal bypoll, offers to quit politics if BRS loses
Likens situation in Kodangal to Kurukshetra war; accuses CM of misusing power to hand over prime land as 'dowry' to his son-in-law at cheaper price
Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao, who on Monday lashed out at A Revanth Reddy for forcibly taking away farm land in Kodangal constituency to benefit his family and close associates, dared the Chief Minister to resign and contest the bypoll, offering to take political sanyas if the BRS failed to win.
Participating in the Rythu Maha Dharna at Kosgi in Narayanpet district as part of a series of farmers protests across the State on Monday, Rama Rao likened the situation in Kodangal to the Kurukshetra war, stating that Revanth Reddy was waging a year-long campaign of anarchy for his brothers, his son-in-law and businessman Gautam Adani. Revanth Reddy had framed false cases against Lagacherla farmers who refused to give their land to facilitate the illegal transfer of land worth thousands of crores.
He said the Chief Minister was misusing power to hand over these prime lands as “dowry” to his son-in-law at cheaper price, accusing him of treating public resources as personal property. “Kodangal women and children are resisting Revanth Reddy, who is behaving like Duryodhana. He has done nothing for farmers, women, or youth in the last 14 months, but has worked tirelessly to loot Kodangal lands for his family,” he said.
Lambadi women were forced to travel to Delhi to seek justice, the BRS working president added, condemning the government’s midnight police raids on villages. He said the Congress government was colluding with the Adani Group and pharma companies, pressuring farmers to accept meagre compensation of Rs 10-20 lakh per acre for land worth Rs 60-70 lakh. “Cases have been filed selectively against BRS leaders, while Congress and BJP leaders remain untouched,” he charged.
In a direct challenge to Revanth Reddy, Rama Rao dared him to resign as Kodangal MLA and contest against BRS leader Patnam Narender Reddy. “Let the people of Kodangal decide. If Narender Reddy fails to win by a 50,000-vote majority, I will take political sanyas,” he declared.
The former Minister blamed the Congress government for not delivering electoral promises, calling Revanth Reddy’s leadership a blind stroke of luck. He said the government had grossly under-funded the farmer loan waiver scheme, allocating only Rs 11,000 crore against the required Rs 49,500 crore. “Not a single loan has been fully waived, no one tola gold gold has been given, no scooters, no Rythu Bharosa,” he criticised, referring to other promises of the Congress.
Reminding about former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s initiatives, Rama Rao noted that Rs 73,000 crore had been deposited in farmers’ accounts under Rythu Bandhu for 11 consecutive seasons. The Congress was obstructing these benefits, stating that even before the last Assembly elections, the Rythu Bandhu amount of Rs.7,600 crore was stopped due to the Congress’s complaints to the Election Commission of India. He pointed out that after coming to power, the Congress failed to enhance Rythu Bandhu amount and even when it did recently, it was only partially upto Rs 12,000 per acre per annum. “Revanth Reddy owes Telangana farmers Rs.17,500 per acre. After the local body elections, he will completely abandon Rythu Bandhu,” he added.
The BRS working president demanded for a cheating case against Revanth Reddy for promising Rs 15,000 per acre annually under Rythu Bharosa but delivering only Rs 12,000. He also pointed out that Revanth Reddy was imprisoned for bribing MLAs with Rs.50 lakh in the cash for vote scam and challenged him to prove otherwise by resigning and contesting fresh elections.
Rama Rao criticised the government’s failure to support traditional caste-based professions, stating that Chandrashekhar Rao had given 200 free electricity units to Nayi Brahmins (barbers) and Rajakas (washermen), while the Congress government was now forcing them to pay their power bills. He challenged the Chief Minister to prove that farmer loans had been fully waived in any village, offering to resign if that were true. He also charged Revanth Reddy with misuse of Rs 4,350 crore allocated for Kodangal’s water supply, stating that the funds would only benefit contractors and middlemen.
“K Chandrashekhar Rao’s government completed 90 per cent works of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme. If the remaining 10 per cent is finished, Kodangal will have water assurance. But Revanth Reddy is only interested in commissions,” he said.
Asserting that the BRS would continue its fight for farmers, he warned that Revanth Reddy’s political downfall was imminent, with the people of Telangana waiting to defeat Congress whenever elections are held.
