KCR-Congress Spat On TS-MH Irrigation Pact Continues

In the ongoing war of words between Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and the Opposition over the TS-Maharashtra Godavari pact, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy lashed out at the Chief Minister for "threatening" his critics with imprisonment over their remarks on the deal.

Speaking to the media immediately after the CM's criticism, Reddy reaffirmed his stance on the issue and questioned KCR on the need for the pact when, supposedly, no portion of land in Maharashtra would get submerged due to the reservoirs in Telangana.

Reddy then demanded a DPR on the re-designing of the irrigation projects under the pact, and asked KCR to reveal the details of the lands that would get irrigated under the Godavari, Pranahitha and Penganga projects.

"KCR is mortgaging our lands and the future of Telangana with this deal," he alleged. The Congress leaders would not feel threatened by the CM's warning and would continue their fight against the agreement, he added.

As the voices against the agreement within the Opposition grew louder, TDP Telangana working President Revanth Reddy lent his own heft to them by slamming KCR for the "warning" and daring the State government to book cases against him and his Party leaders.

The TDP leader alleged that the CM was trying to silence his critics through intimidation. He claimed that the pact would deprive the people of their rights on the usage of the Godavari river water, and alleged that the State's irrigation projects were being re-designed purely for monetary benefits.