Senior BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao accepted the challenge thrown by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and offered to quit as an MLA and not to contest the byelection if the latter implemented ₹2 lakh farm loan waiver in full and the other guarantees by August 15.
Speaking in Sangareddy, after participating in the nomination paper filing by party candidate from Zaheerabad Parliamentary constituency Gali Anil Kumar on Wednesday, he sought to know whether Mr. Reddy would quit as the Chief Minister if he failed to implement the farm loan waiver and all the six guarantees by the time specified by him.
He offered to come to the Martyrs’ Memorial in front of the Assembly on Friday and also asked the Chief Minister to come there for a debate on the issue.
Reminding the Congress and Chief Minister about the eight major promises to be implemented by the midnight of August 14, Mr. Harish Rao said that Mr. Reddy has promised to write off farm loans up to ₹2 lakh to every farmer on December 9, 2023, itself but even the guidelines for its implementation had not been prepared so far. Now, he is giving a new date of August 15.
Under Mahalakshmi scheme, the Congress had promised ₹2,500 per month financial assistance to women but it had not come for the last four months. The government owes ₹10,000 to every eligible woman so far. Farmers were promised enhanced Rythu Bharosa of ₹15,000 per acre but even that benefit was not paid to all so far.
Similarly, 10 grams of gold in addition to ₹1 lakh assistance under the Kalyana Laxmi scheme was not being paid, he said, and sought to know when the girls of poor families who were married off during the last four months would start getting it.
Further, the Congress had promised ₹500 per quintal bonus to paddy from Rabi season but it was not being paid. Farmworkers were also promised ₹12,000 each financial assistance and the enhanced social security pension amount of ₹4,000 was not being paid for the last five months. Unemployed youth were also promised ₹4,000 per month allowance but it too was not being given. Mr. Rao sought to know when the government would clear the dues to all these sections.
