HYDERABAD: BRS president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has called for a crucial meeting of his party leaders on December 19. The meeting, being held after a long hiatus, assumes importance as it comes in the backdrop of the Congress government organising celebratory events, marking completion of its two years in office.
During the meeting, the party will discuss issues related to irrigation, farmers and other pressing matters, and announce agitational programmes aimed at exposing the alleged failures of the Congress government. On December 19, KCR will chair a joint meeting of the BRS Legislature Party (BRSLP) and the Party State Executive to be held at Telangana Bhavan.
According to a press statement issued by KCR’s office, the joint meeting will discuss the Krishna and Godavari river waters issues, particularly the alleged negligent attitude shown by the present Congress government in constructing the irrigation projects, conceived and started by the BRS government during its 10-year rule.
The BRS is of the view that the Congress failed to prevent the Andhra Pradesh government from utilising the excess waters of Krishna and Godavari and this will also be discussed in the same meeting.
Another mass movement
After the meeting, the party is expected to announce another “mass movement” to safeguard the rights of Telangana people and farming community over river waters.
“The BRS government allocated 91 tmcft water to the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project. But the Congress government was seeking only 45 tmcft Krishna water for Palamuru-Rangareddy project. By agreeing to 45 tmfct, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy mortgaged the interests of Telangana’s farmers. The attitude of the Congress government amounts to a grave injustice to the state,” said a party source.
“At a time when the interests of farmers, especially those in Palamuru, Rangareddy and Nalgonda regions, are being severely affected, it is shocking that not even a single BJP MP raised the matter. The BJP itself is undermining Telangana’s interests and the interests,” the source added.
The BRS meeting will discuss the alleged injustice being done by the BJP-led Union government to the state in irrigation matters, which is aiding the Andhra Pradesh to exploit the water under the guise of river-linking projects such as Cauvery.
KCR believes Telangana society has no option but to launch direct mass struggles. “Had BRS retained power (in 2023 elections), by now water would have already been supplied through the Palamuru Lift Irrigation Project. The interests of the people and farmers of Palamuru, Rangareddy and Nalgonda would have been protected,” the BRS chief felt.
The BRS chief alleged that the Revanth Reddy government was neglecting the irrigation sector.