Telangana Congress leaders submitting the representation to Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Telangana Congress has alleged that it has credible information on the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government trying to disburse the money meant for Rythu Bandhu scheme to the contractors of their choice for the works done over the years.
The party demanded the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) direct the officials not to disburse the money on the instructions of the BRS government which ‘will be out of power’ in a few days. Moreover, the election code is still in place and the government does not has the right to disburse the money meant for farmers to their favourite contractors.
A delegation of the Telangana Congress led by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior leaders Mahesh Kumar Goud, Madhu Yaskhi Goud, Anjan Kumar Yadav, G. Niranjan, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Rohin Reddy, Harkara Venugopal and Anil Kumar Yadav met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj and urged him to direct the Chief Secretary not to release the funds.
The representation alleged that ₹6,000 crores meant for farmers was being given to the favourite contractors on out of turn basis and not in serial order of those waiting for payment. “In the last two to three days in power, when MCC is in place, Government of Telangana is disbursing ₹6,000 crores to select contractors in an illegal manner,” it said.
It was also alleged in the representation that the ownership of thousands of acres of assigned lands in Ranga Reddy, Sangareddy and Medchal districts, which were assigned lands as per previous land records, is being changed misusing the Dharani, an integrated land records management system. “These properties are being transferred to benamies of Chief Minister’s family members,” the representation said.
“In both the above issues, Chief Secretary, Telangana may be directed to follow due process to ensure that the present BRS government does not misuse its powers during MCC, and in what is likely, the last two to three days of this state government,” it said.
Later, speaking to reporters Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated the same and said the CEO was asked to direct the Chief Secretary to monitor the payments being made by the government given the Model Code of Conduct still observed. Questioning why Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had called for a Cabinet meeting on December 4, he said it may have to do with submitting the resignation. He added that they can’t comment on it further as the agenda was not available.