Congress, BJP colluded to target KCR on Kaleshwaram project: KTR

"This is not an inquiry, it is political vengeance. But the people of Telangana will respond with clarity and force," the BRS working president asserted

Hyderabad: As BRS chief and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao appeared before the Justice PC Ghose Commission on the Kaleshwaram project, BRS working president KT Rama Rao launched a scathing attack on what he called a “politically motivated smear campaign” by the Congress and BJP.

He alleged that both parties had colluded to tarnish the former Chief Minister’s image with baseless allegations and to distract public attention from the Congress government’s failure to deliver on its promises. “This is not an inquiry, it is political vengeance. But the people of Telangana will respond with clarity and force,” he asserted.

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Speaking to reporters outside BRK Bhavan, Rama Rao — who led a large gathering of BRS cadre — called the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project a monumental achievement of independent India. He claimed that no Chief Minister in the country’s history had executed such transformative work within a decade. “If the Kaleshwaram project had been built in another country, it would have become a global case study, and KCR would have been honoured with the highest civilian award,” he said.

He questioned whether notices were being issued to the former Chief Minister for transforming Telangana into a one-crore-acre agricultural State and surpassing Punjab and Haryana in paddy production. “Calling KCR and questioning him about irrigation is like mocking Lord Hanuman about his strength,” he added.

The former Minister criticised Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, calling him a “petty Chief Minister” who lacked understanding of governance and Cabinet responsibilities. He alleged that the Congress government was deriving perverse pleasure and engaging in factional politics, accusing both Rahul Gandhi and the BJP of working in tandem against the BRS.

Rama Rao said the Congress regime was misusing the inquiry to cover up its administrative failures, including the non-implementation of promised schemes. He dismissed the reported damage to the Medigadda barrage as being deliberately exaggerated. He reminded reporters that the Kaleshwaram project — the world’s largest lift irrigation project — was completed in a record four years and now irrigates over 45 lakh acres. He also recalled that even Revanth Reddy’s father-in-law once stated that only ignorant people would allege Rs 1 lakh crore corruption in a project that cost Rs 94,000 crore.

“But the Congress and the BJP are maligning the project for political gain. I believe even the Commission has now begun to see through this,” he remarked.

On KCR’s appearance before the Commission, Rama Rao said there was nothing new for the panel to inquire. “He was summoned just to satisfy technicalities. Our leaders, including Harish Rao, have already submitted all the facts. Everyone will soon realise that KCR and the BRS have done nothing wrong. The truth will prevail,” he said.

Reiterating that no one could match KCR’s vision for Telangana, Rama Rao declared that even if Revanth Reddy took a hundred births, he would not understand the former Chief Minister’s greatness. He clarified that of the 85 pillars at the Medigadda barrage, only two were damaged, while the rest of the system remained intact. He also raised doubts about the origin of the cracks on the piers, suggesting they could be the result of Congress “mischief.”

He concluded by saying the BRS would continue to chase the Congress until it was “reduced to the streets,” urging the public not to be distracted and to focus instead on the unfulfilled guarantees of the ruling party.