Hyderabad, Nov.25 (NSS): Minister for Transport and BC Welfare Ponnam Prabhakar has lashed out at former minister and BRS MLA Harish Rao, questioning his reactions to the Congress’s defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected governing body of the Huzurabad Agricultural Market Committee in Hanamkonda district on Monday, Ponnam accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of maintaining a secret alliance with the BJP.
“The TRS rebranded itself as BRS and sent hundreds of vehicles to Maharashtra, yet it couldn’t even contest properly. We have said it from the beginning—BRS and BJP are allies in Delhi, but act like rivals in the local arena. This was proven again in Maharashtra. That’s why BRS couldn’t win even a single seat in the Parliamentary elections,” Ponnam pointed out.
He also criticised Harish Rao for claiming that the recent bumper crop was solely due to the Kaleshwaram project. “Even without depending on the Kaleshwaram project, efficient water usage from the Yellampalli project and favorable natural conditions have resulted in this yield. Such credit claims are misleading,” Ponnam remarked.
The Minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to address farmer concerns, mentioning the directive for rice millers to clear outstanding payments of Rs.20,000 crore. He assured that delayed payments for paddy procurement would be settled and emphasised the State’s commitment to providing a Rs.500 bonus for thin paddy varieties.
“The State government has waived Rs.2 lakh in farmer loans. If there are unresolved cases, agricultural officials are verifying them, and we will ensure every farmer benefits,” he assured.
Referring to governance, Ponnam noted that Ministers and MLAs are accessible to citizens, ensuring a transparent administration. Despite inheriting an empty treasury, the State government is fulfilling its promises through financial discipline, he claimed.
“In just 11 months, we have implemented several of our commitments. The BJP and BRS failed to achieve such results in the past decade. People should recognise this difference,” he added.
