Earlier TDP, now Cong. denying Telangana’s rightful share of water: BRS

HYDERABAD

Former minister and BRS MLA from Suryapet G. Jagadish Reddy has alleged that Telangana is being subjected to exploitation in the matter of river waters again and this time it is N. Chandrababu Naidu who is conspiring to illegally divert Godavari water, which the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy did (diverted Krishna water) in the past.

Speaking in Suryapet on Sunday, he said both Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) were behind the denial of rightful share of river waters to Telangana ever since the erstwhile State of Hyderabad was merged with Andhra to form AP. The exploitation was continuing even after the bifurcation of combined AP.

“It is unfortunate that Telangana today has a Chief Minister who has the combined qualities of TDP and Congress,” he alleged. Congress and TDP leaders from Telangana region had maintained silence while the late Rajasekhara Reddy had diverted huge quantities of Krishna water to the non-basis areas at the cost of riparian rights of Telangana within the basin, by expanding Pothireddypadu Head Regulator from just 11,000 cusecs to over 50,000 cusecs.

Now, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was conspiring to divert huge quantity of Godavari water by making his protege and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy silent. Mr. Reddy was maintaining silence to protect his post while AP was trying to siphon-off Godavari water to the non-basis areas.

Stating that BRS and its founder-president K. Chandrasekhar Rao would not tolerate such exploitation, Mr. Jagadish Reddy said the water theft could now be stopped only with the help of another movement by BRS-KCR. Criticising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the BRS leader said the ruling party at the Centre had allowed AP to go-ahead with Banakacherla project as the return gift to Telangana society, which had given it (BJP) eight MP seats.