Bhatti: BRS, BJP, TDP Conspiring Against Cong Govt Under the Guise of Banakacherla, Polavaram Projects

 Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka issued a stern warning against what he said were conspiracies targeting the state government under the guise of the Banakacherla and Polavaram projects of AP. Bhatti accused the BRS, BJP and the TD of a conspiracy which led to the merger of seven mandals of Khammam district with Andhra Pradesh in 2014. He said that an ordinance had been issued to execute this plan.

Bhatti vowed to challenge the ordinance regarding the merger of Khammam mandals with Andhra Pradesh both legally and morally. He said that the Congress party would remain steadfast in protecting Telangana’s interests, ensuring justice for the people of the state.

He was speaking at a public meeting in Kollapur constituency after launching development programmes in Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy districts on Saturday. and laid the foundation for power substations and distributed ration cards and Indiramma housing pattas

Bhatti pointed out that the previous BRS government had done little to prevent the Banakacherla project proposal, and work had come to a halt after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy lobbied with the Centre. “This is a classic case of inaction by the previous BRS government. For 10 years, they were silent, and now they are trying to act as though they are saving Telangana,” Bhatti remarked.

He said that AP minister Nara Lokesh’s statements regarding the waste of water in Telangana, especially concerning the Banakacherla project, were misleading. According to Bhatti, water flowing downstream was a result of Telangana’s incomplete upstream projects, and the state would not entertain further discussions about Banakacherla until its rights and needs were met.

Bhatti also accused the BRS of betraying Telangana’s interests, having failed to complete any major projects on the Godavari or Krishna rivers. He contrasted this with the projects completed by previous Congress governments.

Bhatti criticised former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for wasting funds on the Kaleshwaram project, which collapsed despite an expenditure of Rs 1.2 lakh crore. He said the Congress’s proposed Pranahita-Chevella project would have been far more cost-effective.

Bhatti slammed the BRS’s governance, accusing the party of suppressing dissent and stifling democracy while it was in power. "The Congress has restored democracy in Telangana, bringing welfare and development to the people."