Harish Rao hits out Revanth Reddy for betraying Telangana on river water dispute

BRS senior leader T Harish Rao accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of adopting a weak legal strategy in the Supreme Court on the Krishna water issue. He alleged the Congress government’s actions helped Andhra Pradesh advance its projects at Telangana’s cost

Hyderabad: Former Minister and BRS senior leader T Harish Rao came down heavily on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for adopting a deliberately weak legal strategy before the Supreme Court. He stated that the Congress government in Telangana filed a legally meritless petition, effectively helping Andhra Pradesh secure time to advance construction and divert Krishna River waters. He said that by withdrawing the petition to file a civil suit, the Congress government was allowing Andhra Pradesh to complete the work unhindered.

He questioned why the government’s counsel, senior advocate and Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, had not ensured that the petition met basic admissibility standards. He also criticised Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy for flying to Delhi in a suit and tie, while failing to protect Telangana’s interests.

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Calling it a historical betrayal, Harish Rao said Revanth Reddy’s decisions were nothing short of hading over Telangana’s water rights to Andhra Pradesh on a platter. He said the Chief Minister had been consistently cooperating with Andhra Pradesh, from attending meetings he earlier claimed he would boycott to signing agreements he initially opposed, and forming committees that facilitated Andhra Pradesh’s agenda against Telangana’s interests.

The BRS leader said the weak writ petition effectively endorsed the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar project and that Revanth Reddy had gone back on his assurances to challenge the issue legally. “The filing of a weak petition only to withdraw it, appears to be a gift from Revanth Reddy to Chandrababu Naidu on the eve of Sankranthi festival,” he added.

He warned that the people of Telangana would not forgive the Chief Minister’s friendship with Chandrababu Naidu who opposed every project constructed on Krishna and Godavari Rivers in Telangana. He said the BRS would take the fight to the public and oppose any attempt to compromise Telangana’s water rights.