Dharmapuri Arvind Demands Revanth Reddy Resign Over Paddy Procurement Failure

On Friday, Telangana BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy if the state government fails to procure the entire estimated paddy produced and deliver it to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Speaking at a media conference held at the BJP headquarters in Hyderabad, Arvind criticized the state government's handling of agricultural procurement and farmer welfare.

Arvind alleged that despite repeated claims by the Congress-led state government, Telangana has fallen short of procuring nearly 35 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy over the past two years.

The BJP MP stated that the Chief Minister has no moral right to blame the Union government for procurement issues if the state fails to complete its operations efficiently. He explained that the Centre or the FCI does not arbitrarily decide procurement amounts, as these figures are determined through dialogue and estimates shared with the state government.

According to Arvind, Telangana was expected to deliver 140 LMT of paddy to the FCI but fell well short of the estimates provided. He suggested that if the state government cannot complete the procurement, the Centre should take over under President's Rule.

Arvind also criticized recent remarks made by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy regarding dumping paddy in front of BJP leaders' residences, calling the comments irresponsible.

He emphasized that it is the state government's responsibility to set up procurement centres before the harvesting season begins to prevent farmers from facing hardships. Instead of resolving these issues, Arvind claimed the Congress government is trying to shift the blame to the Union government.

Additionally, the MP questioned the state's claims of transportation constraints, pointing out that tractors and lorries are readily available for moving sand and other materials, yet are allegedly unavailable for transporting farmers' paddy.