One more rider to 6 guarantees; Telangana Congress backtracks on Rs.500 bonus to paddy linking it to MSP

HYDERABAD: Social media is abuzz with debates that the Congress Government in Telangana has backtracked on its yet another pre-poll promise after a leader said that the Congress never promised a bonus of Rs 500 over the Minimum Support Price (MSP) per quintal of paddy.

On Tuesday, Kisan Congress national vice president and Dharani committee member M Kodanda Reddy said:

"An ex-Minister is asking where is the promised Rs 500 bonus per quintal for yield? After we came to power, farmers are now able to sell yield at a cost of Rs 2,600 in the open market though the MSP is just Rs 2,060 per quintal. What did we say (before elections)? We said that if anybody is facing losses where crops are being sold less than MSP, we will give bonus of Rs 500. But farmers are selling crops above MSP."

His comments sent social media into tizzy where people started reminding the party of its pre-poll promise. A user in fact shared the manifesto of the Congress where one of the promises under Abhaya Hastam (six guarantees) mentions that "A bonus of Rs 500 for paddy per quintal will be provided."

Other users shared quotes and video clips of senior Congress leaders announcing the decision to provide bonus if it came to power. Rahul Gandhi had infact tweeted on November 1, 2023 that, "The Rythu Bharosa guarantee in Telangana is designed to support farmers and families like these...Rs 500 bonus/quintal for paddy, in addition to MSP."

Another user shared a campaign video of current Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka where he said, "Irrespective of a farm land owner or a tenant farmer who is selling paddy for Rs 2,000 in market, we will give an additional Rs 500. That is a guarantee."

In another video, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Apart from Rythu Bharosa, we will give bonus of Rs 500 for paddy if we win the elections. This is our promise."

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi too had made a public announcement during the campaign that, "You (farmers) will get Rs 500 bonus for crop yield."

The Congress, which came to power in Telangana riding on its six guarantees, had promised to implement Abhaya Hastam within 100 days of coming to power.