Criticising the BJP for its forgotten promise to set up a turmeric board for the farmers of Nizamabad in Telangana, BRS leader and industry minister KT Rama Rao on Monday warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the farmers will teach a lesson to the NDA Government for the betrayal.

Rao tweeted an image of the bond paper on which the incumbent BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri had promised to set up the turmeric board while responding to a tweet by the prime minister who took potshots at the Congress saying the party had betrayed the turmeric farmers by making fun of his comments that turmeric increases immunity.

The BRS leader said, “Real insult to turmeric farmers is promising them a turmeric board on a bond paper at the time of Parliament elections and then hoodwinking them by refusing to deliver despite numerous protests. Do you recognise this bond paper promise of your BJP MP from Nizamabad? Turmeric farmers will reach a fitting lesson to the Modi Government for shameful betrayal,” wrote KT Rama Rao on Twitter.

His tweet was in response to Prime Narendra Modi’s claim during his Karnataka poll campaign when he said, “Congress made fun of me when I said turmeric is an immunity booster during Covid, they didn’t insult me but turmeric farmers.”

BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri, the younger son of a former Congress leader D Srinivas, had sent shock waves when he defeated Kalvakuntla Kavitha the sitting MP of Nizamabad and daughter of K Chandrasekhar Rao. Arvind, a new entrant into politics had given a written promise to the turmeric farmers on the bond paper to set up a turmeric board in Nizamabad within five days of getting elected.

This was then widely publicised through posters and pamphlets contributing to Arvind’s victory in 2019. But since he failed to deliver even after four years, the BRS is keen to ensure he faces retribution from the voters.

A few days ago, after the Central government made it clear that they were not going to set up any board in Nizamabad, BRS put up several yellow flexes in Nizamabad claiming it was the “turmeric board” set up by the BJP MP in a bid to taunt him.

Arvind Dharmapuri then hit back at KT Rama Rao reminding him of the state government’s promise to provide support price to turmeric farmers and the lack of crop insurance in the state.