BJP demands ACD rollback

Narsampet (Warangal): Demanding the State Government to withdraw the Advance Consumption Deposit (ACD) with immediate effect, the BJP cadres led by former MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy staged a protest, christened as Praja Poru Deeksha', near R&B Guest house in Narsampet on Sunday.

Speaking at the protest, Reddy accused the BRS Government of betraying the people's trust. "The BRS increased power tariffs seven times and broke the back of the common man. On the other hand, farmers are in dire straits with the government failing to provide minimum support price (MSP) to their produce," Reddy said.

Even though the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao claims credit for 24-hour uninterrupted power supply to the agriculture sector, the farmers were taking to the streets due to power outages, Reddy said. "BRS Government handcuffed the farmers who staged a protest in Khammam for the MSP. It indicates how much concern the KCR Government has over farmers," Reddy said.

Rythu Bandhu which provides a financial assistance of Rs 5,000 per acre is not a panacea for farmers' problems. In the name of Rythu Bandhu, the government cancelled the subsidies on seed and fertilisers, Reddy pointed out. On the other hand, the BJP-led Central Government is offering a financial assistance of Rs 8,000 per acre under PM- Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana to the farmers besides providing subsidy on fertilisers and offering MSP, he added. "It's been five years since KCR promised to provide fertilisers to farmers free of cost; however it still remained a nonstarter," Reddy said.

BJP Warangal district president Kondeti Sridhar said that the country witnessed all round development under the leadership of Narendra Modi. "KCR is a master craftsman in hoodwinking the people by making hollow promises. People are vexed with the family rule of KCR and they are ready to teach a fitting lesson to the BRS in the next elections. BJP is the only alternative force that could replace the BRS Government," Sridhar said. Senior leader Edla Ashok Reddy urged the party cadres to expose the failures of the KCR Government. BJP will intensify its agitation if the State Government fails to withdraw the ACD charges, he said.