Chief Minister accuses BJP of double standards on paddy

KCR urges farmers not to cultivate paddy

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has attacked the BJP for its double standards as he targeted the central leadership of the party for not lifting paddy from the State, and its local unit instigating farmers to cultivate the crop.

He appealed to farmers not to sow the crop immediately as it could land them in huge losses because the BJP-led Central government had not come forth to buy stocks.

At a press conference, Mr. Rao trained his guns on BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar saying his blackmailing tactics against the State government and playing with the lives of farmers will not be tolerated. The government had so far observed restraint against him but not any more, he said. “I have been lenient towards him so far despite his false claims but he went after the government for vote bank politics, more recently in Huzurabad Assembly byelection. Elections come and go and parties win or lose but it is our commitment to implement Dalit Bandhu scheme for SCs over which he cast aspersions on the government. It is our commitment to implement the scheme hundred per cent,” he said.

Mr. Rao reminded the BJP that TRS is a powerful party in the State with 103 MLAs of its own and seven MLAs of friendly MIM. The government will take legal action against BJP if the trend continued, he said.

He criticised the Centre for abrogating its responsibility of purchasing foodgrains from the State which is its constitutional responsibility. Ensuring food security is the primary responsibility of the FCI., he said.

For over a month, the government had been advising farmers to go for alternative crops in lieu of paddy but the State BJP worked in conflict with its Central leadership for political gains, he said. The government had committed in last session of Assembly that things might improve by second week of November but to no avail, he said.