Cong's poll guarantees, BRS MLAs' defection issues in T'gana Budget session

The implementation of crop loan waiver and other poll 'guarantees' of the Congress government in Telangana, issues of unemployment and BRS MLAs joining the ruling party are likely to figure prominently during the budget session of Assembly beginning July 23.

The government would present the budget on July 25.

This will be the Congress government's first full budget after assuming power in December last year. It had presented an interim budget in February this year.

Amid fanfare, the government launched the crop loan waiver scheme last week which would be implemented in two more phases with a total outlay of about Rs 31,000 crore.

While the Congress leaders and activists held celebrations, the opposition BRS and BJP expressed disappointment.

The BRS alleged that the loan waiver did not benefit a majority of farmers, while BJP National General Secretary and Union MoS (Home) Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the government has failed to disburse the promised amount of 'Rythu Bharosa' (investment support scheme for farmers) during Rabi and Kharif seasons.

The Congress government has also launched other poll promises, including free travel for women in public transport buses, supply of LPG cylinders to poor for Rs 500, free electricity supply up to 200 units to poor and Arogya Sri health scheme of Rs 10 lakh to the poor.

The opposition is also likely to question the government during the Assembly session on the implementation of these schemes and other election promises.

The issues of unemployed youth would also figure prominently during the session.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has said the government would announce a 'job calendar' during the budget session.

The opposition BRS and BJP have held protests demanding that the Congress government implement its promises to unemployed youth, including filling up two lakh government jobs, unemployment dole, mega teachers recruitment drive against the 11,000 posts announced by the government.

The BRS is expected to attack the ruling Congress on the defection of its 10 MLAs and six MLCs to the ruling Congress since the Assembly elections last year.

The BRS has already sought the disqualification of the 10 MLAs by the Speaker. However, the Congress has already hit back at the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party saying that the BRS had admitted MLAs from other parties when it was in power.

The BRS on Saturday met Governor C P Radhakrishnan and lodged a complaint against the ruling Congress over defections and the "unfulfilled" promises made by the Congress to unemployed youth.

The ruling Congress lacks majority in the legislative council. Will the BRS try to create hurdles for passage of bills taking advantage of its overwhelming strength in the upper house?

According to the Telangana Legislative Council website, currently BRS has 25 members and Congress has four.

There are four nominated MLCs, two members from AIMIM, one each from BJP and PRTU, and one independent MLC, while two seats are vacant in the 40-member house.

With the defection of the six MLCs, Congress's strength is set to go up to 10 in the council.

Political analyst Telakaplli Ravi felt that the BRS may avoid a showdown though it may try to get political mileage.

While 10 MLAs have already switched sides, there is speculation about more BRS MLAs crossing over to the Congress, he pointed out.