Why is there fertiliser shortage despite excess supply, questions BJP

Telangana State BJP president N. Ramchander Rao has once again charged the Congress government of spreading misinformation about the fertiliser availability in the State for the farmers and reiterated that sufficient supply has been made available. Hence, the onus was on the government to control the distribution and supply preventing black marketing, he said.

Attacking Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao for questioning his ‘understanding’ on the issue, the BJP leader challenged the former for a debate on his home turf of Khammam district during his ongoing tour there on Tuesday.

The government is misleading both the BCs and farmers to derive political gain in the coming local body elections as neem-coated urea is being supplied to every village to prevent shortages. The Central government has supplied 12.2 lakh metric tons of urea when requirement is 9.80 lakh metric tons, claimed the BJP chief and wondered why a shortage still exists despite ‘excess supply’.

The people have rejected the BRS government and are now ready to reject the Congress for their ‘anti-people’ policies and waiting to bless the ‘committed’ BJP which always stood with the farmers and their fight for justice, claimed Mr. Rao.

The party is rapidly gaining ground in the district which was traditionally considered a Communist stronghold and hoped that Khammam will become a ‘BJP fortress’ in coming days. Even Communist party cadres are welcome to join the BJP. Earlier district president N. Koteshwar Rao and other leaders spoke.

In a separate statement, party chief spokesperson N.V. Subash, has accused the ruling party of misusing the office of the President to divert attention from its own legislative failures on quota for BCs. “If the Congress is truly committed, it can introduce the reservation right at the gram panchayat level without resorting to such political theatrics which is a smokescreen designed to confuse the people. The Constitution is clear — no religion-based reservations are permitted — and yet the Congress is hell-bent on violating that in the name of BC upliftment,” said Mr. Subash.