Telangana polls: BRS, Congress spar over EC withdrawal of nod to Rythu Bandhu payment

A war of words has broken out between the ruling BRS and the Congress in poll-bound Telangana over the Election Commission (EC) withdrawing the permission it had granted the state government to disburse payments to beneficiaries under the Rythu Bandhu scheme.

As the Congress on Monday (November 27) blamed the incident on the “irresponsible and self-serving” approach of the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party, BRS MLC K Kavitha slammed the former for lodging a complaint with the EC, requesting it to stop the government’s proposal to make the payment.

Kavitha said “dirty politics” of the grand old party had once again surfaced and pointed out that the scheme is not an election promise and an ongoing one. “Dirty politics of Congress has once again surfaced. They are delaying the payment of Rythu Bandhu, which is an ongoing payment. It is not an election promise. It is not a new programme that is made for the elections,” she told news agency PTI.

Why the EC withdrew permission

The EC on Monday withdrew permission given to the Telangana government for disbursements of financial aid to farmers for rabi crops under the Rythu Bandhu scheme after a state minister violated the provisions of the model code by making a public announcement about it.

The poll panel had given its nod to the state government to disburse the rabi instalment during the model code of conduct period on certain conditions and asked it not to publicise the disbursement during the poll code.

“The Commission has observed that T Harish Rao, Minister of Finance and Heath and Family Welfare, Govt of Telangana ... has not only violated the provisions of MCC (model code of conduct) ... but also conditions laid down as above by publicising the release under the scheme, and thereby disturbed the level playing field in the ongoing election process,” the EC letter to the state chief electoral officer read.

It also sought a compliance report from the state government by 3 pm on Monday.

The minister reportedly said, “The disbursement will be made on Monday. Even before the farmers complete their breakfast and tea, the amount will be credited into their account.”

In the letter, the Commission “directed that the permission granted vide its letter dated November 25, 2023 for disbursement of rabi season instalment under the ongoing Rythu Bandhu scheme during currency of MCC, shall stand withdrawn immediately and there shall be no disbursement under the Scheme till the Model Code of Conduct in the State of Telangana ceases to apply in all its form”.

The “no objection” was granted based on the premise that the scheme is an ongoing one and rabi instalments were disbursed during October-January in the past five years, the EC pointed out.

War of words

It was the Congress that requested the Chief Election Commissioner on Sunday to impose restrictions on the BRS, including the Rythu Bandhu issue.

Kavitha said the Congress has time and again been complaining about the programme, under which the BRS government has disbursed Rs 72,000 crore, benefitting 65 lakh farmers in the past 10 seasons.

The BRS leader said she is requesting the farmers of the state to take note of the situation to realise that the Congress is the “enemy” which has snatched the payments under Rythu Bandhu and farm loan waiver.

Under the Rythu Bandhu scheme, farmers in Telangana will get Rs 5,000 each per season, with a total of Rs 10,000 per acre annually.

The Congress, on the other hand, attacked the BRS for the EC action.

In an X post, Congress general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal said, “Due to the irresponsible and narrow self-serving approach of the BRS and Harish Rao, under the instructions of his boss KCR, the ECI has denied permission for the disbursement of the Rythu Bandhu instalments.” The money is the right of the farmers and it is what they deserve for their year-long hard work, he said.

“When this money is supposed to be released any time between October and January, it was the BRS’ desperation which compelled them to make such irresponsible statements,” he said.

“Yet another sin committed by the BRS, which will not be forgiven by the farmers of Telangana,” Venugopal said.

Telangana goes to poll on November 30.

(With agency inputs)