As Y S Sharmila joins Cong, Jagan Reddy visits his mother, BRS supremo
Although sources called Reddy’s visit to KCR a courtesy call, the meeting coincided with Sharmila’s latest political move which is likely to boost the Congress in Andhra Pradesh.
President of the YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP), Y. S. Sharmila, led a protest in Hyderabad on Saturday to demonstrate support for the state’s farmers over the paddy procurement issue.
She sat on the demonstration in Indira Park in the middle of the city, demanding that the state government acquire the entire paddy crop.
On Friday, leaders of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) protested at the same location, asking that the Centre remove paddy from the state.
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She has announced a 72-hour protest. However, the police permitted to protest at Indira Park from morning to evening. YSRTP leaders said she would continue the protest for the remaining hours at her party office-cum-residence at Lotus Pond.
Sharmila, who is Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, said that it is the responsibility of the TRS government to procure the entire produce of farmers.
Criticising Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for not coming to the rescue of farmers, she demanded that the government expedite the procurement during the ongoing season.
Sharmila stated the state government should provide farmers assurances that it will supply the necessary seeds and fertilisers, as well as procure the entire crop, in response to the state government’s advice to farmers not to cultivate paddy and instead grow alternate crops.
She claimed that the Telangana government’s announcement of a farm debt waiver did not benefit 36 lakh farmers in the state.
Because of the election code of conduct for elections to the Legislative Council, the YSRTP leader briefly halted her ongoing Praja Prasthanam Padyatra on Wednesday.
She organised the walkathon last month to draw attention to the state government’s shortcomings on numerous fronts and to engage with residents about their concerns.
(With IANS inputs)
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