The farmers’ wing of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is leaving no stone unturned to make the ‘Rythu Poru’, scheduled at Manubolu on July 21, a success, in a bid to corner the government for “turning a blind eye to the plight of the farming community.”
The party has strategically chosen Manubolu for the programme, as it is represented by Minister for Agriculture Kakani Govardhan Reddy and his predecessor in the TDP term Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy.
The party has decided to take the development plank to the midst of the local farmers, who, it believes, will give a clear verdict. The programme covers five parliamentary constituencies and 35 Assembly segments.
At a preparatory meeting held at Renigunta in Srikalahasti constituency on Saturday, which was chaired by Tirupati parliamentary constituency in-charge G. Narasimha Yadav, Mr. Chandramohan Reddy charged the government with “exhibiting overenthusiasm” in fixing meters to the agricultural connections, even as the Central cabinet had gone into a rethink mode on the issue.
Former Minister N. Amarnatha Reddy maintained that the progress, if any, achieved thus far on the Polavaram project was completed during the TDP term, and that the YSRCP dispensation had not contributed anything significant.
“The farmers used to get support for farm mechanisation and drip irrigation earlier. Now, they have been thoroughly let down,” he said.
He appealed to the party rank and file in the erstwhile (combined) Chittoor district to make the programme a success.
Telugu Rythu State president Srinivasulu Reddy said the government had ditched the farmers from “seed to sale,” forcing them to declare a crop holiday.
