Kaleshwaram Was Cabinet Decision: Etala

Hyderabad:BJP MP Etala Rajendar reaffirmed that the decision to construct the Kaleshwaram Project was a Cabinet decision, not a unilateral move by former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He said he could provide all supporting evidence to back this claim.

Responding to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s remarks on the project, Rajendar, finance minister in the BRS Cabinet when the Kaleshwaran scheme was built, questioned how such a major initiative could have proceeded without Cabinet approval.

“Some leaders are trying to create unrest by spreading misinformation. Every decision is ratified by the Cabinet. I am ready to hand over all documents related to Kaleshwaram to the media. KCR always insisted that departmental matters be presented before the Cabinet before any final decision. If this is not true, I am prepared to face the consequences,” he averred.

Rajendar emphasised the need to separate the project’s construction from any corruption allegations. He clarified that the BJP opposed profiteering under the guise of development.

The BJP continues to demand a CBI probe to expose all individuals involved in the Kaleshwaram scam. While supporting the project’s construction, the party opposes awarding contracts without tenders and turning such projects into money-making ATMs. “If the Congress government has the courage, it should act on the available reports and repair the damaged piers,” he said.

Recalling the origins of the Telangana movement, he said it was driven by demands for fair access to irrigation water, funds, and government jobs. After state formation, completing irrigation projects became a top priority. He questioned why the Pranahita-Chevella project remained incomplete during the five years when Congress was in power.

He urged the Justice P.C. Ghose commission to conclude its hearings and called on the state government to take strict action against those found guilty of corruption.

Rajender also expressed concern over attempts to implicate him in the Banakacharla project, currently being built by the Andhra Pradesh government, which affects Telangana’s share of Godavari river water. He recalled opposing the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy’s Pothireddypadu project, which similarly threatened Telangana’s water rights. “People will not believe attempts to blame me in the Banakacharla project issue,” he said.