The war of words between the Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) over the former’s State president A. Revanth Reddy’s comments that there is no need for 24×7 free power supply to agriculture and that the BRS government has been deceiving farmers on the scheme seem to be going unabated as the two sides refuse to budge.
Joining the issue of demand for a debate on the power being supplied to farmers raised by Mr. Revanth Reddy, Minister for Energy G. Jagadish Reddy said on Sunday that the State government was ready to open all the “energy files” – the details of energy being supplied to the farm sector – provided the TPCC chief was ready to open energy files pertaining to the periods of his ‘former boss’ (N. Chandrababu Naidu) and new bosses (Congress CMs) to tell people about energy supplied to farmers from 1995 to 2004 and from 2004 to 2014.
Mr. Jagadish Reddy said BRS is ready for a debate on aspects whether farmers need three-hour supply or supply for three crops. He pointed out that announcing power holidays would go to the credit of the Congress and the party was trying to spread lies to cover up its goof-up on free power issue. He said the Congress governments in the past had failed to provide either available water for irrigation and drinking needs or to the required energy for farming.
‘Rythu Vedikas must be platforms’
In tune with the call given by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, Rythu Vedikas must be platforms to discuss how farming had taken centre-stage in the States development since 2014 with the proactive pro-farmer policies initiated by the BRS government. He suggested the farmers to discuss on the Congress conspiracy against the uninterrupted free power supply to agriculture as the State government has been following its national policy against the scheme.
Mr. Jagadish Reddy also faulted TPCC chief on power purchase agreements and daily energy purchases due to lack of knowledge. He explained how the BRS government had given water to ayacut under Nagarjunasagar Left Canal for 16 successive crops contributing to the record production of paddy in the State.
Meanwhile, BRS legislators Ch. Kranti Kiran, G. Mahipal Reddy, Ch. Madan Reddy and K. Manik Rao said that Mr. Revanth Reddy was trying to undo the damage caused with his unwanted comments on free power to agriculture and alleged that the TPCC chief’s mind was filled with TDP ideas although he had the Congress face now.
