In a sharp political offensive, Telangana's Tourism and Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao launched a scathing critique against former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Monday. He accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief of re-emerging in public view solely to salvage his party's image following its recent electoral disappointments.
Allegations of Failed Promises and Mounting Debt
Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, Jupally Rao asserted that the public had rejected KCR's recent allegations. He trained his focus on the long-pending Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, a project repeatedly promised by the former administration. The minister questioned why this key initiative remained incomplete despite the BRS being in power for nearly a decade.
Jupally made a serious financial allegation, claiming that KCR's government burdened Telangana with a staggering debt of nearly Rs 8 lakh crore. He emphasized that this massive borrowing did not translate into ensuring adequate water availability for the state's people, a core promise linked to projects like Palamuru-Rangareddy.
Legal Misrepresentation and Project Flaws Exposed
The minister delved into specific shortcomings of the irrigation project. He alleged that the previous government misrepresented the Palamuru-Rangareddy scheme before the Supreme Court by projecting it primarily as a drinking water project. Jupally pointed out a critical infrastructure gap: no main canals were completed during the BRS's tenure, raising questions about the project's operational readiness.
He further questioned the legitimacy of the project's dedication ahead of the 2023 assembly elections. According to Jupally, the inauguration was conducted without securing the necessary approvals. He highlighted a major contradiction: the project was dedicated without proper water allocations in place.
Referring to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, he stated that both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh together are entitled to 811 thousand million cubic (tmc) feet of water. However, he claimed Andhra Pradesh was allowed to use 512 tmc for ten years, impacting Telangana's share.
Future Costs and Political Blame Game
Jupally Krishna Rao estimated that an additional Rs 40,000 crore to Rs 50,000 crore would be required to complete the Palamuru-Rangareddy project. He reiterated that its stated purpose was drinking water supply, not irrigation, countering any potential alternate narratives.
Contrasting the administrations, he accused the BRS of pushing Telangana into a deep financial crisis. In the same breath, he asserted that the current Congress government, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, is effectively implementing various welfare schemes despite inheriting severe financial constraints. The minister also blamed the Central government for the ongoing shortage of urea in the state.
This press conference marks a significant escalation in the political rhetoric between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS, setting the stage for continued confrontations over governance, development projects, and fiscal management in Telangana.
