Hyderabad (Telengana) [India], December 22 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has launched a political attack on former chief minister and BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), accusing him of causing "irreparable damage" to the state's water rights, economy and irrigation sector, and branding him an "economic terrorist" who destroyed Telangana's financial system.
Responding to KCR's press conference earlier on Sunday, Revanth Reddy, during an informal interaction, said KCR was "speaking recklessly" and had forgotten that it was the Mahabubnagar district that gave him his political life. "The very foundation of the Telangana movement was laid for securing our rightful share of Krishna waters. KCR betrayed that foundation," the Chief Minister alleged.
Revanth Reddy accused KCR of signing away Telangana's permanent rights over Krishna river waters to Andhra Pradesh. "By agreeing to just 299 TMC, KCR wrote a death warrant for the state. He accepted a 64 per cent share for Andhra Pradesh and only 29 per cent for Telangana, selling out the state for commissions," he alleged, claiming that three districts were severely affected due to the decision.
The Chief Minister alleged large-scale "water loot" during KCR's tenure, saying KCR remained silent while Andhra Pradesh constructed projects such as Pothireddypadu and Muchumarri. He further accused the previous government of committing a grave injustice to the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme by opting to draw water from Srisailam rather than Jurala, resulting in delays and legal complications. "Even the DPR was returned by the Centre because it was prepared incorrectly," he said.
Revanth Reddy claimed that despite spending nearly Rs. 2 lakh crore on irrigation projects over a decade and paying bills worth Rs. 1.80 lakh crore, the BRS government failed to complete even a single project. "Projects like SLBC, Dindi, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bhima and Palamuru-Rangareddy remain unfinished. He did not even release Rs. 12 crore to break a boulder at Sangambanda or provide funds for land acquisition in Kalwakurthy," he said, adding that the present government has already spent Rs. 6,800 crore on irrigation works since taking charge.
Taking personal aim at KCR, Revanth Reddy alleged that the former CM had "destroyed the economy" and called him an "economic terrorist" who committed atrocities on the state's financial system. He also questioned the filing of NGT cases against the Palamuru-Rangareddy projects, noting that former MLA Beeram Harshavardhan Reddy, who filed the cases, was himself given a ticket by KCR from Kollapur.
On political issues, Revanth Reddy challenged KCR to face a two-day discussion in the Assembly. One day on Krishna waters and another on Godavari waters. "If KCR agrees, we are ready to convene the Assembly from January 2. Instead of coming to the Assembly, he prefers public meetings. We welcome him to act like a responsible Leader of the Opposition," he said.
The Chief Minister alleged that internal conflicts within the BRS had forced KCR to reappear in public. "The son and the son-in-law are fighting within the party. KCR fears the party will fall into his son-in-law's hands. The son is striving for the chair, the son-in-law for assets," he alleged, claiming that party assets worth Rs. 5,000 crore were at stake. He further alleged that KCR's family had sidelined MLC K. Kavitha to avoid responsibility.
Revanth Reddy also questioned KCR's claims of electoral success, asking whether the Lok Sabha, Cantonment and Jubilee Hills elections were not fought on party symbols. He challenged KCR to a fact-finding committee on Sarpanch elections and proposed visiting any village to determine which party actually won.
While stating that he respects KCR's age, Revanth Reddy said the former CM was not "active" in politics unless he was performing his legislative duties. "In 10 years, KCR only sold lands and benefited from the ORR built by the Congress. Let him show one major thing he built in Hyderabad," he said.
The Chief Minister demanded that KCR apologise to the people of Telangana for signing away water rights, arguing that completion of projects like SLBC could have enabled the state to draw significantly more water. He also mocked the collapse of the Kaleshwaram project, calling it "Kooleshwaram," while claiming that despite this, the Congress government made Telangana number one in paddy production.
Revanth Reddy further recalled that KCR had once described paddy cultivation as a "noose around the neck" and accused him of opposing the use of technology in urea distribution. He alleged that KCR's proximity to the BJP leadership was the reason why the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) was not granting permission to investigate Arvind Kumar in the Formula E race case.
Earlier, on Sunday, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) launched a scathing attack on both the Telangana and Central governments, alleging that they are jointly betraying Telangana's interests, particularly those of the drought-prone Palamuru region.
Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, KCR asserted that Telangana is not inherently a backward region but has been "deliberately pushed backward" over decades of injustice.
He accused successive Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) governments of discriminating against the Palamuru district during the united Andhra Pradesh era, noting that the region was once reduced to running "gruel centres" due to neglect and a lack of development.