Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy has found himself in a soup with his utterances on 24X7 free power supply to agriculture sector, as he realised that it has backfired on him following the state-wide protests by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi leaders and cadre.
What is worse, his own party leaders have found fault with him for stoking unnecessary controversy saying that the farmers do not require more than eight hours of power supply and for 95 percent of farmers, three hours of power supply is enough.
Known for his strong opposition to Revanth Reddy, senior Congress leader and Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said the PCC chief had no authority to make such policy statements. He declared free power supply to farmers was the policy of the Congress.
“I don’t know what exactly Revanth Reddy said about round-the-clock power supply to farmers and in what context. But it is not our policy,” he said.
Komatireddy, however, agreed with Revanth Reddy that the KCR government was not providing 24X7 power to agriculture. He challenged the BRS government to prove its claim.
“Even if it is proved that the farmers are getting 10 hours of power supply, I shall resign from my MP seat,” he challenged.
With pressure mounting on him, Revanth Reddy quickly retracted his statement. He said the Congress party would stick to his policy of providing round the clock power supply to farmers free of cost.
“People won’t believe the BRS leaders, if they try to mislead them that the Congress would give only three hours of power to agriculture,” he said.
All India Congress Committee in-charge of Telangana Manikrao Thakre also assured that his party, if voted to power, would give round-the-clock power supply to agriculture free of cost.
“It has been clearly mentioned in our farmers’ declaration and we shall implement it in letter and spirit,” Thakre said.