Telangana BJP leaders, led by State president N. Ramchander Rao, along with MLAs and MLCs, will visit procurement centres across districts for three days starting Monday. The tour aims to highlight farmers’ distress and expose the “government’s failure” in procurement management.

The programme was finalised at a meeting chaired by Mr. Rao at the BJP office in Hyderabad on Friday. Legislature Party leader A. Maheshwar Reddy later told the media that farmers are facing severe hardship due to delays in the procurement of paddy and maize, and the absence of sorghum procurement.

“So far, only about 24% of paddy has been procured, despite production touching 1.41 crore metric tonnes. Last year, procurement stood at around 90 lakh MTs. Even by the Chief Minister’s own statement of 45 lakh MTs, the figures suggest only 30-35% procurement. On what basis, then, is the government claiming 80%?” he asked.

He also alleged that an arbitrary deduction of four kilograms per bag is being enforced at procurement centres. Many centres, he said, are struggling with shortages of trucks and gunny bags, adding to farmers’ difficulties.

Mr. Reddy accused millers and middlemen of exploiting farmers at multiple stages, from input supply to the sale of produce. He further claimed that nearly 10% of last year’s procurement —around nine lakh MTs — had been “diverted,” and demanded clarity from the government on what he described as a “multi-crore racket.”

The BJP leader criticised the Congress government for failing to fulfil its poll promise to procure “every single grain” of 10 crops at remunerative prices. He also flagged the delay in implementing the ₹7,500 per acre Rythu Bharosa assistance. The party will decide its next course of action after the tour, which is also intended to instil confidence among farmers, he added.