The ruling TRS on Saturday alleged that TDP MLA S. Venkata Veeraiah was behind the violence that had broken out at Khammam agricultural market yard on Friday.
Mr. Veeraiah led the attack with his supporters, none of whom was a farmer. It was clear from closed circuit TV images that not a single genuine farmer had resorted to stone throwing or burning of weighing scales when the violence broke out, Roads and Buildings Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and other leaders of TRS told a press conference here. They said 75% of chilli stocks were sold by the time violence took place. The TDP leader conspired to prevent the sale of the balance 25 per cent stock with his supporters. However, the government installed new scales overnight with the intervention of Marketing Minister T. Harish Rao and ensured resumption of transactions on Satruday morning. Mr. Nageswara Rao blamed the Congress and TDP for the pathetic agricultural scenario in Telangana prior to TRS forming the government. The TRS explained its contribution for the development of the sector at its public meeting in Warangal, he said.
