Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy bristles, wonders if N Chandrababu Naidu guarded donkeys

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy came down heavily on former chief minister and Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu over the latter’s criticism on the former attending the inaugural of the Kaleshwaram irrigation project in the neighbouring Telangana.

Mr Reddy had vehemently opposed the Kaleshwaram project in the past but now he defended his attendance.

Speaking in the Assembly on Thursday, the CM made it clear that to maintain cordial relations with the neighbouring state he had attended the inauguration of the lift irrigation project.

He reminded the Assembly that it was during Mr Naidu’s tenure that Kaleshwaram project was built by the Telangana government and what had Mr Naidu done when the project was being built. Mr Reddy asked if Mr Naidu was ‘guarding the donkeys’ when the Telangana government was building Kalehswaram project.

The CM told the House on Thursday that it was during Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh that the Karnataka government had raised the height of the Almatti dam, thereby impacting the river water share of Andhra Pradesh.

He reminded Mr Naidu and other members of the Opposition party that this was also the case with Babli Dam which Maharashtra built.

Elaborating about Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s criticism of Kaleshwaram project, the CM reminded the House that the project was built during the TD government’s time and if the former chief minister had any objections, why did he not take them up with Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrashekar Rao at that time.

Mr Reddy clarified that there would be a bilateral agreement between both states on the sharing of waters Godavari and Krishna. Justice would be done to both states, in the regions of Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda in Telangana or districts in Andhra Pradesh which would benefit from sharing of river waters

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also reminded TD members including Mr Naidu that close to 65 per cent of Godavari flowed into Pranhita and Indirawati tributaries while Sabari in Andhra Pradesh got only 11 per cent.

Mr Reddy added that if both states could come to a cordial and harmonious understanding over sharing of water resources, people of both the states would benefit.

He criticised Mr Naidu for trying to politicise the issue.