Didi, Stalin yet to accept invite for Rythu Bandhu
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s attempt to mobilise regional party leaders for the launch of the Rythu Bandhu scheme — under which cheques of `4,000 per acre will be distributed to farmers on May 10 — to consolidate his position as a ‘national leader’ may not materialise.
The Chief Minister has invited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Janata Dal (S) chief and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president M.K. Stalin, Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to the launch, but they haven’t confirmed their participation so far.
With only two days left for the event, CMO officials and Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders, seem to have lost hope of the regional leaders making an appearance, so the invitation cards are being printed without their names.
Over one lakh farmers are being mobilised from North Telangana districts for the huge public meeting to be addressed by the Chief Minister in Karimnagar once he launches the scheme.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s attempt to mobilise regional party leaders for the launch of the Rythu Bandhu scheme — under which cheques of `4,000 per acre will be distributed to farmers on May 10 — to consolidate his position as a ‘national leader’ may not materialise.
The TRS supremo has been making attempts to gain national attention with Rythu Bandhu, reportedly the first-ofits-kind scheme in the country, covering over 58 lakh farmers at an estimated budget of `12,000 crore per year, being touted as the biggest financial sop for farmers in India.
The Chief Minister, who toured West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during the past month to build support for his proposed federal front, made it a point to explain the details of Rythu Bandhu to all the leaders and invited them to the launch.
During his recent Chennai trip to meet DMK leaders, the TS Chief Minister addressed a joint media briefing with M.K. Stalin, where he said he had invited Mr Stalin for the launch and he would be the chief guest.
With no confirmation from any of the leaders, the Chief Minister has decided to hold the public meeting in Huzurabad, Karimnagar, instead of his earlier plan to hold it in his home district Medak, which is close to Hyderabad, making it convenient to transport visitors from Begumpet airport.
Sources in the agriculture department said, “We were informed that only the Chief Minister and his ministers will attend the meeting. We are making arrangements accordingly.”