VIJAYAWADA: Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy, Water Resources Minister Ambati Rambabu and other YSRC leaders lambasted TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu for his adverse remarks on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and State government at his public meeting in Pulivendula on Wednesday. They demanded that Naidu apologise to the people of Rayalaseema for his blatant lies.
“Naidu, a backstabber of Rayalaseema, is becoming more shameless. If not for former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s efforts, the Pothireddypadu head regulator would not have been widened and Rayalaseema would not have received the Krishna water. Was it not Naidu, who organised protests against the Pothireddypadu head regulator expansion at Prakasam Barrage? Was he not the person who reduced the capacity of Gandikota reservoir to 3 TMC,” the Kadapa MP asked while speaking to media persons in Pulivendula.
He said only after YSR came to power, the capacity of Gandikota was increased to 27 TMC, which today is providing water to Rayalaseema. Now, the project can be filled to capacity only because the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had given Rs 950 crore R&R package for the project oustees.
“Even in the case of Chitravathi Balancing Reservoir, farmers of Pulivendula had struggled and undertook padayatras. Naidu while in government never bothered to ensure water in the river or the project. Today, he is projecting himself as the messiah of irrigation projects in Rayalaseema. He should be ashamed to spew such blatant lies,” he remarked.
Pointing out the pending dues to the micro irrigation companies to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore, Avinash sought to know what was the sincerity of Naidu towards farmers of Rayalaseema. He took serious exception to the TDP chief claiming credit for Paidipalem Reservoir and said the project was the brainchild of YSR. “Naidu should stop making exaggerated claims,” he said.
Speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Ambati described Naidu as a person who cannot tell the truth even if it dances before him. He repeated three questions -- why you failed to complete Polavaram project by 2018 as announced in the State Assembly? Why you have urged the Centre to let the State execute the Polavaram national project? Why you have hastily constructed the diaphragm wall? Did you lay the foundation stone for any irrigation project in Rayalaseema and complete it? Ambati asked.
He ridiculed Naidu for claiming Polavaram as his brainchild and said the entire world is aware that it was YSR, who made it happen.