Alampur MLA arrested over argument on release of water from Thummilla Lift Irrigation Scheme

The BRS strongly condemned the incident, urging the State government to follow protocol and initiate action against those responsible for the ruckus

Hyderabad: A heated argument between BRS MLA Vijayudu and former Congress MLA SA Sampath Kumar over the release of water from the Thummilla Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS), led to the arrest of the former in Rajoli mandal of Alampur constituency on Tuesday.

The BRS strongly condemned the incident, urging the State government to follow protocol and initiate action against those responsible for the ruckus.

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The officials invited both Vijayudu and Sampath Kumar for the ceremony held to turn on the pumping motors and release water from the Thummilla LIS.

While MLA Vijayudu arrived first, officials advised him to wait for former MLA Sampath Kumar. However, Vijayudu questioned the need to wait for the former MLA and switched on the motors, releasing the water before Sampath Kumar’s arrival.

Later, he reached RDS (Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme) canal to witness the arrival of the water, but was shocked to find that water did not reach the canal nearly three hours after he released.

On enquiry, he learnt that soon after he left, Sampath Kumar along with Congress party workers arrived and turned off the pumps in anger, stating that the motors should not have been switched on without him. This action halted the water flow in the RDS canal.

Irked over the stoppage of water, Vijayudu returned to the Thummilla LIS along with his followers and farmers, to stage a sit-in protest blocking the road. He stated that due to lack of timely rains, several crops in Alampur constituency were already affected and the Congress leaders had only exacerbated the issue by stopping irrigation water.

As the situation escalated, the police intervened and arrested Vijayudu and his followers, leading to tension.

Reacting to the arrest of Vijayudu, BRS working president KT Rama Rao condemned the conduct of the district officials, insulting the local MLA.

He questioned Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari over the reason for insisting on inviting Congress leaders who were rejected by the people to all official meetings and programmes.

“Praja Palana (people’s governance) where our public representatives are humiliated every day. Have the protocols been redefined in Telangana to humiliate elected representatives?” he asked.