PNS|Hyderabad
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was behind the Basheerbagh firing incident in which three farmers were killed, TPCC President Revanth Reddy said.
He said that the Congress had promised free power supply to farmers in its 2004 election manifesto, but KCR made the TDP say that supplying free power was not feasible.The sin of killing farmers in the fight for free power supply belongs to KCR, Revanth said.
He said that KCR was heading the TDP’s HRD department when the Basheer Bagh firing took place and had said then that supplying power free was not possible.
Revanth said that the then Congress CM, YS Rajashekhar Reddy, had fulfilled his word by signing on the free power supply file immediately after coming to power. The Congress government gave input subsidy too to farmers, he said.
Revanth said that he knows agriculture thoroughly and all its processes like ploughing and other activities.
“I am ready to compete with IT Minister KTR in farming. I did not clean toilets in the US like KTR and I am not the son of a passport broker or the son of any kind of broker,” he added.
He said that BRS leaders distorted the comments he had made in a ‘Meet and Greet’ programme held in the US a few days ago. He said that he tried to clear the doubts of NRIs. “I tried to explain about the 24-hour power supply technically. But KTR and BRS leaders tried to mislead the people by editing my video,” he said.
Revanth said that the KCR government has been looting the public in the name of 24-hour free power supply and that BRS leaders had pocketed Rs 8,000 crore as kickbacks every year using the scheme. He also said that KCR engaged in corrupt deals worth Rs 45,000 crore using the tenders invited for power plants.
The TPCC chief demanded that Ministers Harish Rao and KTR should accept the challenge of Congress leaders Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and T. Jeevan Reddy.
He said that the BRS has been enacting protest dramas fearing that they will get exposed.
He made it clear that the Congress will give 24-hour free power supply to farmers after coming to power and that the party will publish its manifesto on September 17. He said that there is no guarantee that KCR will win from Gajwel and that KCR must allot tickets to sitting MLAs if he has the guts, Revanth added.
He asked BJP leaders G. Kishan Reddy and Dr K. Laxman, who had demanded a CBI probe into the 24-hour power supply scheme to explain why they are silent now. Why are Kishan and Laxman not seeking a probe into the corruption in the Kaleshwaram project, he asked.
He said that the Centre had told the TS government not to set up power plants as the Centre is ready to supply power for Rs 2.60 per unit but KCR is constructing Bhadradri and Yadadri power plants which run on outdated technology.
He said that TS Discoms fell from A+ (A-Plus) rating grade to C– (C–Minus) grade and that the Discoms which were in the top 10 slots during the Congress government’s time have hit rock bottom now. KCR is using freebies inappropriately, Revanth added.
