Andhra Pradesh govt drops 'Indira' from Polavaram project name; Congress fumes

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday changed the name of multi-purpose Polavaram project by dropping the word "Indira" from its title, a move criticised by Opposition Congress, which termed it as a sign of "political bankruptcy" of the TDP-led ruling combine.

"Indira Sagar Polavaram Project" shall be renamed and notified as "Polavaram irrigation project", said an Government Order (GO) issued here.

The multi-purpose irrigation project, being built on Godavari river, had been accorded national status during bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh last year.

The name change drew a sharp reaction from the state Congress which hit out at the TDP government for removing the name of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from the prestigious project.

"It is a brutal political decision of the TDP government. It is political bankruptcy," Andhra Pradesh Congress President N Raghuveera Reddy said, demanding that the government restore the previous name.

Incidentally, the name change has been effected on the day that marks the 40th anniversary of Emergency imposed in 1975 Indira Gandhi.