The former Chief Minister the late Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy’s free power scheme for agriculture and his key role in the formation of two United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments from 2004 to 2014 have to be acknowledged by everyone, said senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijaya Singh.
Mr. Singh also praised the late leader for bringing the naxalites to the table for the historic talks and thus paving the way for peace. He was speaking after releasing the book ‘Rythe Rajaithe Vyavasayam Pandage’ (Agriculture Will Be a Festival if a Farmer Becomes the King) authored by former MP KVP Ramchandra Rao and former Agriculture Minister Raghuveera Reddy.
He attributed several path-breaking schemes in the country to Mr. YSR, including free power to farmers and Jalayagnam to irrigate 40 lakh acres and said had YSR been alive he would have fought tooth and nail the three farm laws introduced by the BJP and subsequently withdrawn after farmers’ protests.
TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy termed YSR as a generational leader and an experience itself. He said the great ability of YSR was to reply to the Opposition parties’ charges on his government with a smile and that quality had gained him friends across the political spectrum. He said YSR had to wait 20 years to become Chief Minister overcoming the political hurdles, but when he got the opportunity he made a huge difference to people’s lives.
He said the Congress would return to power in Telangana and introduce the welfare schemes that YSR had thought of and implemented during his rule.
Former MP and close friend of YSR Mr. K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao shared his emotional journey and said seeing Revanth Reddy he was reminded of YSR and was confident that Congress would come to power in Telangana. He also thanked CLP leader Bhatti Vikramaraka for the padayatra that was inspired by the ‘Praja Prasthanam’ yatra of YSR that changed the political contours of the combined Andhra Pradesh.
Turning a bit emotional, he said he had left the present Andhra Pradesh 40 years ago and has been residing in Telangana since then along with his family. It is time at least he should be considered at least 50% Telanganite. He also reminded how YSR wanted to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of the country.
Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka shared how he had learnt from YSR to love the cadre who work for the party and their leader wholeheartedly. Stating that leaders like YSR and late N.T. Rama Rao could never be confined to one place or region and their followers were everywhere.
He said Khammam district got Godavari waters thanks to the projects Indira Sagar and Rajeev Sagar constructed when YSR was the Chief Minister without spending huge amounts. Those projects are now shelved, he said.
Former Judge of the Supreme Court, B. Sudershan Reddy said he might have had political differences with YSR but he always appreciated the agriculture and other welfare schemes introduced. He said despite the differences YSR never put undue pressure on the Constitutional institutions. YSR respected the views of others given his long political journey and that too where he had to struggle a lot.
Senior journalist, P. Sainath; CPI national secretary K. Narayana; former Minister, N. Raghuveera Reddy; Nalgonda MP, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy; senior Congress leaders Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Koppula Raju, Shabbir Ali, G. Chinna Reddy, M. Kodanda Reddy and former MP Undavalli Arun Kumar were among present.
