Hyderabad: Theruling party has once again hurt the prospects of BRS by making the DCCB (District Cooperative Central Bank) and PACS (Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies) posts nominated rather than elected. According to reports, the appointments will follow the market committee model instead of being based on elections.”

“According to reports, the government is planning to fill the DCCB chairman and vice-chairman posts on a nomination basis and is likely to complete the process by the second week of January. Along with the chairman and vice-chairman, there will be 11 directors. The move is reportedly aimed at avoiding election expenses and potential conflicts.”

However, this move has irked the BRS as they have said this was against the spirit of the cooperative system. Karimnagar DCCB Chairman Konduru Ravinder Rao, who has the distinction of being in the post for 20 years, said that it was painful that there will be no election.

“He said that the government has no role in the cooperative societies. The societies do not receive a penny from the government, and it has no part in their activities. ‘It is truly painful that there will be no elections. With this move, the ruling party will try to allot the posts to their party workers, as every party has its share of farmers,’ said Ravinder Rao.”

According to the experts the cooperative system was a state subject and the Centre cannot impose any directions. The role of the Central government is restricted to advisory and they can only recommend and they have no right to intervene. For making the election on nomination basis, the State government will have to enact a law and sources said that the government would bring the Act in the ensuing Assembly sessions.

The cooperative societies were cleansed by former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy government. Based on the Vaidyanathan Commission’s recommendations, YSR had removed the role of the IAS officers and took up many measures to overcome losses. He ensured that there was no government interference in the activities of the societies. The present government is changing the rule, which was brought by the earlier Congress government, said Ravinder Rao.

Meanwhile, the BRS working president KT Rama Rao challenged the Congress government to immediately conduct elections if it truly believes it had done justice to farmers. He alleged that the government was terrified of facing elections due to public anger and was instead filling posts through nominated positions. “If elections are held, farmers will teach Congress a fitting lesson,” he warned.

KTR said widespread anger among farmers and agricultural labourers was already evident in recent sarpanch election results. He accused the government of abandoning promises such as Rythu Bandhu for tenant farmers, financial assistance to farm labourers, and other welfare commitments, and using case leaks against KCR to divert attention from these failures.