Maharashtra techie rejects job, joins BRS

Apart from techie, several other leaders from various political parties and farmers' organisations in Maharashtra also joined the BRS in the presence of CM KCR

Hyderabad: After farmers and leaders from different political parties, now a corporate employee from Maharashtra has turned down Rs 5 lakh per annum job offer and joined the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) after getting impressed with Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s vision and commitment for the welfare and development of the farming community.

A native of Nivdunge in Ahmednagar, Sharad Markad was born in a farmer’s family. Markad got a job offer in an IT company, which promised him Rs 4.8 lakh per annum but he turned down the offer and two days ago, along with Maharashtra farmer leader Manik Kadam, met Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao in Hyderabad.

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This, he said, was after learning about Telangana model of governance and witnessing the welfare and development works being executed under the leadership of the Chief Minister for the farming community. The Telangana model had made him question himself as to why such schemes were not being implemented in Maharashtra, when just across the border, farmers in Telangana were benefitting from so many schemes.

Having rejected the offer, he has now decided to work with Chandrashekhar Rao. Markad said he was well aware of the struggles and challenges faced by farmers. His parents, who own one and a half acres, had to work hard to pay for his education, prompting him right from his school days that he would work for the cause of farmers.

After securing good marks in Class 12, he pursued a degree course in computers. While working at a textile shop, he completed his degree. In 2019, when there was a terrible drought in Maharashtra and standing crops were destroyed with no water or fodder for animals, Markad started the first unaided fodder camp in the State. He took care of about 100 animals for free till the drought ended.

Last year, when the lump disease was rampant in the country, he started the first Lumpy Quarantine Centre in the country and worked hard to save livestock. All this, while shuttling around on a bicycle. Impressed with his commitment and support, farmers from across the State took a subscription and presented Sharad a vehicle worth Rs 30 lakh to continue his work. Apart from Markad, several other leaders from various political parties and farmers’ organisations in Maharashtra also joined the BRS in the presence of the Chief Minister.