In a sharp attack on the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, party leader and Telangana Jagruthi president Kalvakuntla Kavitha declared it a "100% truth" that the ambitious Palamuru–Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) has failed to deliver water to even a single acre of land over the past twelve years. She demanded a public explanation from former Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) for critical decisions that allegedly doomed the project.
Allegations of Mismanagement and Leadership Failure
Speaking to reporters at the assembly media point on Friday, Kavitha launched a multi-pronged critique. She pinpointed the controversial decision to shift the project's intake point from the Jurala project to Srisailam as a major flaw. She demanded KCR clarify the reasoning behind this shift, which she implied had contributed to the project's paralysis. Kavitha asserted that a combination of wrong decisions and an absence of responsible leadership had mired the PRLIS in deep difficulty.
"Allowing incompetent individuals to speak on such serious issues will only confuse the public," she warned, taking a swipe at her own party's spokespersons. In a stark political message, she added that if KCR continues to abstain from the legislative assembly, "even God cannot save the BRS." She urged him to attend the House sessions in the interest of Telangana's people.
Condemns CM's Remarks, Critiques Cross-Border Politics
Kavitha also strongly condemned current Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his recent remarks comparing former CM KCR to terrorist Ajmal Kasab. She described such comments as utterly unacceptable and unbecoming of a person holding a constitutional office.
Shifting focus to regional water politics, Kavitha criticized Telangana's political class for a perceived lack of will to protect state interests. She contrasted this with leaders in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, who, she claimed, stand united across party lines to safeguard their water resources and regional advantages. This failure in Telangana, she argued, has led to critical shortcomings in irrigation infrastructure.
Irrigation Infrastructure in Disrepair
Elaborating on the irrigation crisis, Kavitha listed several key projects operating far below their intended capacity due to neglect. These include:
- Bheema
- Nettampadu
- Sundilla
- Kalvakurthy
She stated that even basic repairs on these projects are being ignored, crippling their utility for farmers. Directing fire at the incumbent Congress government, Kavitha accused it of wasting two crucial years, perpetuating injustice to the farming community. She highlighted the neglect of the Medigadda barrage as a particularly grave issue.
Her primary demand was for the PRLIS to be addressed beyond narrow political considerations. She called for an immediate change in the project's intake source to revive it, emphasizing the urgent need for water in the region.
On Her Resignation as MLC
In a related development, Kavitha addressed the status of her resignation as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), which she submitted a few months ago. The resignation has not yet been accepted by Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy.
Kavitha met with Chairman Sukhender Reddy on Friday to discuss the acceptance of her resignation. She has requested an opportunity to explain the reasons for her resignation on the floor of the House before it is formally accepted. She announced that she would speak in the legislative council on January 5 to provide this explanation.
