Findings politically motivated, says the BRS leader

metro india news  I hyderabad

The political storm over the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) report continues to rage, with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) mounting a strong defence of the project and its architect, former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). Senior BRS leader and former Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the Congress government, accusing them of twisting facts and using the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission report to target KCR for political gains ahead of local body polls.

Addressing a detailed PowerPoint presentation at Telangana Bhavan on Tuesday, titled “Congress Conspiracies on Kaleshwaram: Commission Distortions, Facts”, Harish Rao dismissed the report’s conclusions as “baseless and politically driven.” He alleged that selective leaks of the 665-page report to the media were aimed at shaping a one-sided narrative.

Calling the KLIP a “lifeline for Telangana” built for the next 100 years, Harish Rao asserted that the project was conceived with expert guidance, approved by the State Cabinet, and sanctioned by 11 Central agencies. He said the relocation of the barrage from Tummidihatti to Medigadda was based on expert recommendations, hydrological studies, and practical constraints—not political motives.

According to Rao, the Central Water Commission (CWC) and then Union Minister Uma Bharati had confirmed that Tummidihatti could not provide the required 160 TMC of water. Maharashtra’s refusal to approve the desired Full Reservoir Level (FRL) further ruled out the site. A committee of retired engineers, backed by LIDAR surveys, identified Medigadda as the most technically viable location, citing coal mines and topographical hurdles at Tummidihatti.

Harish Rao produced documents showing Cabinet approvals for the revised design in 2016, 2018, and 2021, countering Congress's claims that no such approvals existed. He emphasised that alterations—such as routing water through Annaram and Sundilla to Yellampally—were driven by technical necessity.

Lashing out at Revanth Reddy, Harish Rao alleged that the Chief Minister was “orchestrating political drama” to tarnish KCR’s image while neglecting governance. He accused the Congress government of demanding commissions for bill clearances and prioritising Delhi trips over developmental work. “Has this government provided irrigation to even one new acre in two years?” he asked.

The former minister also reminded that Congress, during its decade-long rule in undivided Andhra Pradesh, failed to secure permissions for the Pranahita-Chevella project and obstructed several irrigation initiatives, including the Cotton Barrage. He questioned why the National Dam Safety Authority had not inspected projects like Polavaram, which had witnessed repeated structural failures.

Harish Rao warned that once the full report is tabled in the Assembly, the BRS will expose its “distortions” to the people. He pledged to defend the Kaleshwaram project’s legacy, stating it would stand as a testament to KCR’s vision for Telangana’s water security.

BJP maintains a guarded stand

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has adopted a cautious approach to the Kaleshwaram controversy, refraining from direct, high-profile criticism of the project or the P C Ghose Commission findings. While the Congress and BRS engage in a fierce political battle, the BJP appears content to watch from the sidelines.

According to senior BJP leaders, internal communication has directed that only select party functionaries and technical experts comment publicly on the matter. As a result, no top BJP leader has made a strong public statement on the report. Party representatives participating in television debates, however, have been articulating the BJP’s position in a measured manner.

Political observers suggest that the BJP’s strategy is deliberate-allowing the Congress-BRS slugfest to play out while the saffron party positions itself as an alternative force for the longer term in Telangana politics.