Hyderabad: Former Minister Harish Rao on Saturday exposed the Andhra Pradesh government’s attempt to divert Godavari waters through the proposed Banakacherla project. At the same time, the BRS leader accused the Congress-led Telangana government of remaining silent despite this large-scale threat to the State’s water interests. Addressing a press conference with a detailed PowerPoint presentation, Rao said, “Andhra Pradesh is now eyeing Godavari waters through the Banakacherla link. While Andhra is pushing ahead with tenders for this project, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy have chosen silence.” He criticised the Congress government for focusing more on political vendetta than public welfare. “They are busy filing false cases against KTR and BRS leaders. There is irritation towards the Opposition, but no attention to irrigation,” Rao said. “Sadly, the state’s interests are being mortgaged for the sake of political power,” he alleged.

Rao questioned the government’s inaction even as Andhra Pradesh is openly exceeding the limits set under the temporary Krishna agreement. “Why this silence when AP is moving ahead with a project that could divert over 200 TMC of water from the Godavari? When Telangana’s share is at stake, the Congress government remains mute.” He also reminded that Telangana has eight BJP MPs, eight Congress MPs, and two Union Ministers, yet no one is raising their voice. “Is their loyalty to Delhi more important than their responsibility to Telangana?” Rao asked. He alleged that Revanth Reddy was compromising State interests to protect his friendship with Chandrababu Naidu. He also pointed to Union Minister Bandi Sanjay’s recent statement in Andhra Pradesh that the Centre gave Andhra ten times more funds than Telangana. In a strong response to Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on the Banakacherla issue, Harish said that writing letters was not enough. “If the Minister is serious, he should ask the Chief Minister to demand an Apex Council meeting on Banakacherla. That is what the people of Telangana are expecting.”