If Congress wins, dark days will be back in Telangana: Harish Rao

HYDERABAD: Telangana Finance Minister Harish Rao said that the Congress exposed its anti-farmer agenda by petitioning the Election Commission of India to halt the payment of the 12th installment of Rythu Bandhu financial assistance.

Harish Rao said in a press conference at Telangana Bhavan on Thursday that TPCC president A Revanth Reddy had already hinted at limiting power supply to agriculture services to three hours per day.

He was on a mission to deprive farmers of crop investment assistance for the Yasangi season, which they were entitled to under the Rythu Bandhu scheme. The Congress's representation of the ECI on this matter was deemed unnecessary as it was not a new scheme, he added.

Harish Rao said, "So far, more than Rs.75,000 crore in Rythu Bandhu has been distributed in 11 installments. The timely payment of the Yasangi installment would have greatly aided the farmers. However, due to the Congress leadership's anti-farmer agenda, they were being deprived of financial assistance."

Harish Rao slammed former PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy for calling Rythu Bandhu an unnecessary expenditure. He also pointed out that how Congress governments in the undivided State had left farmers in debt, contributing to Telangana's highest rate of farmer suicides.

He also told voters that if given the chance, the Congress would deprive farmers of all benefits, including free electricity.

The Congress party's return to power in Karnataka sparked unrest among farmers, who demanded uninterrupted power supply, which was limited to less than five hours a day, Harish Rao said.

He said, farmers in Karnataka were protesting and even seen releasing crocodiles in power substations, against the Congress government. He also warned Telangana farmers that if the Congress was given the chance it was begging for, the dark days would be back in Telangana State.

Harish Rao predicted that KCR would become Chief Minister after hitting a hat-trick on December 3, 2023. He said that while previous governments collected taxes from farmers, KCR gave money to the farmers with his unique Rythu Bandhu scheme. He also warned Telangana people that if the Congress wins the election, pensions and even the KCR kit would be stopped.