Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raghunath Patil joins BRS in KCR’s presence

A rally of 50,000 farmers will be held at Islampur in Sangli on August 9, Patil said after joining BRS.

“The Telangana CM has brought major reforms for farmers in his home state. They provide Rs 10,000 per acre non-returnable funds to farmers to buy seeds and fertilizers before sowing. We had been demanding it in Maharashtra for the past several years. But the state government has ignored it. They failed the farmers. My decision to join BRS is to fight for the rights of farmers across the state and country,” he asserted.

Rao had lunch with Patil at his residence where they discussed the next course of action.

Interestingly, Islampur Assembly constituency is represented by NCP state chief Jayant Patil who has remained with Sharad Pawar faction. The farmers rally in Islampur is a pointer that BRS is trying to get farmer leaders and like-minded locals to fight established leaders in the region.

Earlier, Rao arrived at Kolhapur airport from Hyderabad in a special flight for a day’s visit. Soon on arrival, he drove to Kolhapur’s famous Mahalaxmi temple.

Later, he drove to Wategaon in Sangli district to offer floral tributes to Dalit social reformer, writer and poet late Annabhau Sathe. Late Sathe also played a significant role in Samyukta Maharashtra Movement.

KCR is reaching out to Dalit reformers ahead of Telangana Assembly polls and it is also a part of his strategy to expand his organisation.
On the 103rd birth anniversary of Annabhau Sathe, Rao took the opportunity to visit his birth place and pay glorious tributes. The Telangana CM also visited the family of Annabhau Sathe. He also took interest in the sculptors depicting the life and works of Annabhau Sathe.

Rao said, “I will write to PM Narendra Modi requesting Bharat Ratna for Annabhau Sathe.” The Maharashtra government should also write to the Centre proposing Bharat Ratna for Sathe, he suggested.

Hailing from a humble background, Sathe belonged to the backward Matang community. His writings depict the struggle and travails of the poor and the Dalits. He was greatly inspired by Marxist and Ambedkarite ideologies.

Rao, who is aggressively pushing the farmers’ plank, had decided to look beyond Telangana. In the past six months, he visited Maharashtra four or five times. Last month, he along with his cabinet ministers and party leaders visited Pandharpur temple in Solapur district. The two-day visit saw Rao engaging in hectic political parleys with local leaders and common man.

The BRS held its first public rally in Nanded in Marathwada district in February. It was followed by a couple of rallies in Nanded and Aurangabad. Later, he visited Nagpur to address public meeting.

Rao also opened a BRS office at Nagpur. He has also decided to set up BRS offices in Pune, Aurangabad and Nashik in coming months.

Aab ki baar, Kisan Sarkar — KCR has coined this slogan which he echoes at every meeting in Maharashtra. On Tuesday, Rao reassured the gathering, “We will bring change through farmer reforms across India.”