Hyderabad: After creating a record of sorts with his PowerPoint presentation in the Legislative Assembly on irrigation projects, TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is aiming for another unique record.
Mr Rao is preparing the ground to personally argue before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar seeking higher share of river waters for TS.
He has held preliminary discussions with irrigation officials in this regard.
Mr Rao strongly feels that the earlier governments could not put up strong arguments before the tribunal due to which Telangana did not get a justifiable share of Krishna water.
In fact, soon after taking office as the CM of Telangana State in June 2014, Mr Rao had made a statement in the very first session of Legislative Assembly that he would personally appear before the Brijesh Kumar tribunal and put forth arguments on behalf of the state government.
The government received a communication from the Centre that the tribunal will conduct fresh hearing on Krishna water dispute this month, though the exact schedule was yet to be confirmed.
Fresh from the success of his PowerPoint presentation on Thursday, which was basically about Telangana getting a raw deal in sharing of Krishna and Godavari waters in undivided AP, Mr Rao wants to utilise the expertise he has acquired through periodic review of irrigation projects by examining Google Earth images for the past two years and argue the case on his own before the tribunal.
Mr Rao has already gathered comprehensive details on Krishna water issue for his PowerPoint presentation, which he feels would be enough to put forth arguments in favour of TS effectively.
“Normally, senior advocates argue the case before the tribunal. But there is no such rule which states that only advocates should argue the case. There is scope for others too to argue the case, which the CM wants to utilise,” said an official of irrigation department.
If this happens, Mr Rao would create a record by becoming the first CM in the country to argue a case on his own before a tribunal, which is likely to attract national and international attention.
TRS circles feel that it would be also “politically beneficial” for the party ruling the state in the coming years if the CM himself argues for Telangana's share in Krishna water. They feel that this would send a strong message that the CM and TRS are committed to safeguarding TS interests.
