Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Monday alleged that the delimitation of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was driven by money and not by urban planning.

Interacting with the media on the Assembly premises, Rama Rao shared his views on a wide range of issues, including irrigation projects, debates in the Legislative Assembly, the proposed division of the GHMC, alleged phone tapping, SIT investigations, and the Chief Minister’s remarks about meeting KCR.

Rao said there was widespread speculation about splitting the GHMC into three parts and even converting the “so-called Fourth City” into a separate corporation. Any restructuring, he insisted, must be carried out scientifically.

He accused the Congress government of undertaking arbitrary delimitation purely for financial gains, allegedly on the advice of merchant bankers and brokers. “This entire exercise is aimed at raising money. Such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” he warned, adding that the BRS would demand a detailed discussion on the issue.

Rama Rao criticised the Congress government for wilfully neglecting the Palamuru–Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project, alleging that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had stalled the project out of fear that its completion would bring credit to former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and invite the displeasure of his former political mentor, N Chandrababu Naidu.

KTR said it was standard practice for any government to initiate irrigation projects in the name of drinking water needs and subsequently obtain statutory approvals, but this reality was rarely acknowledged openly.

He recalled that the Polavaram project had been discussed for over 70 years and was still incomplete, whereas the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project was completed during KCR’s tenure due to his unwavering commitment.

“Kaleshwaram stands as testimony to KCR’s dedication. Even if investigations are carried out endlessly, the state will only suffer—politically, we will not. People know very well who ensured water for Telangana,” KTR asserted.

KTR stated that accepting an allocation of only 45 TMC would be detrimental and reminded that it was the earlier Congress government that had agreed to 299 TMCs in the Krishna river.

Responding to allegations of phone tapping, KTR said intelligence systems have existed since the Nehru era and were meant for maintaining law and order and safeguarding the state. “Can anyone honestly claim that surveillance mechanisms do not exist today?” he asked, criticising the Congress government for using SITs, inquiries, and cases as tools of distraction.