Farmers’ loan waiver by August 15: Revanth

Hyderabad: The poll campaign in Telangana is reaching a new peak with challenges and counter challenges between the pink party and the Congress party over loan waiver of farmers.

Responding to the criticism of BRS leader T Harish Rao that the Congress government had failed to implement loan waiver scheme, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who is spearheading the campaign, said: “Even if the sun rises in west, even if the earth and skies turn upside down, the government will implement the Rs 2-lakh loan waiver scheme by August 15.” He said Harish had asked him if he would resign if the government failed to implement the loan waiver by August 15. “Here is my challenge to Harish Rao. Come what may, it will be implemented by August 15 and once it is done, will the BRS wind up the party in Telangana,” he asked.

Addressing party workers in Kodangal, Revanth Reddy said the government was able to repay the interest of Rs 26,000 crore which was passed on by the previous government despite having a budget deficit of Rs 3,900 crore at the time of coming to power.

He said Harish and BRS should introspect if KCR had fulfilled his promises during his decade-long rule. He promised a loan waiver of Rs 1 lakh in 2014 but failed. Whatever the farmers received went for repaying their interests. He again promised the same in 2019 but did nothing, Revanth said.

Taking on BJP, Revanth alleged that DK Aruna was the one who opposed Narayanpet’s lift irrigation project. “She has no moral right to seek votes. She is alleging that I insulted her, but I only highlighted that she has transformed into a weapon in the hands of Narendra Modi for damaging Palamuru,” he said.

He said he was striving for the development of Palamuru unlike the BJP candidate and the previous BRS government.

Later at the massive public meeting of Nagarkurnool following the filing of nomination by Mallu Ravi, the Chief Minister questioned the BRS candidate and former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar as to why he joined ranks with KCR who was against the SC categorisation. He said Praveen had resigned from IPS because of KCR. “If continued, he would have perhaps by now become the DGP,” he said.

He said the Congress offered him TSPSC chairman’s post but he rejected. “If he had accepted, it would have helped the weaker sections immensely,” he added.