BJP propping up BRS to save KCR from KLIP corruption row: Mantris
Ministers urge Centre to act on Justice Ghosh Commission’s Kaleshwaram report
Ministers Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar and Vivek Venkata Swamy on Thursday alleged that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were working together to shield alleged corruption in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
Addressing a joint media conference at the Secretariat, the Ministers claimed BJP leaders have joined hands with BRS, even after saying that the Kaleshwaram project has become an ‘ATM’ for BRS. Even after the Justice Ghosh Commission gave its report and passed a resolution in the Assembly and gave it to the CBI, the Centre has not responded at least till now.
Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said the previous BRS government had prioritized Kaleshwaram over the Pranahita-Chevella project for commissions and publicity, describing it as the “eighth wonder.”
He alleged that though the project promised to supply 196 TMCs of water, however, it restricted to 168 TMCs. Nearly 50 TMCs of water was eventually discharged into the sea. He also invited former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and other opposition leaders to attend the Assembly session beginning on March 16 and offer suggestions, assuring them of an opportunity to speak.
The Ministers further accused BRS leaders of spreading “poisonous propaganda” against the government, while BJP leaders were allegedly taking political advantage of the situation.
Referring to the demolition of houses in Velugumetla on July 15, 2023, Ponguleti said the then BRS government had razed the homes of the poor and failed to rehabilitate them. He stated that the present government, under the directions of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, would provide house sites and construct houses for eligible beneficiaries in accordance with High Court orders. He asserted that the government was committed to safeguarding the interests of the poor.
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar alleged that the BRS government had neglected North Telangana in irrigation matters and pushed the state into a debt trap. He said the Congress government had released a white paper on state finances and paid nearly Rs 48,000 crore towards arrears linked to loans taken for Kaleshwaram. He urged the Central government to extend financial support.
Minister Vivek Venkata Swamy alleged that BRS had become one of the richest regional parties in the country due to corruption, claiming that fixed deposits and electoral bonds worth around Rs 1,000 crore were evidence. He demanded that losses incurred in the Kaleshwaram project be recovered from K. Chandrashekar Rao and accused the previous regime of executing irrigation projects to benefit contractors.
Several public representatives, including MP Balaram Naik and MLAs Rajender Reddy and Madhav Reddy, were present at the press conference.
