Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu has made it clear that his party is in favour of the construction of the Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project.
Addressing the executive meeting of the TDP's farmers' wing at NTR Trust Bhavan in Hyderabad on Saturday, Naidu said that the TDP wants the Polavaram project to be completed as planned.
He said that the party was also in favour of the Chevella-Pranihita project.
However, he demanded that the government provide a suitable relief and rehabilitation package to all those affected and displaced by these projects.
He also said that the Centre must declaree these irrigation projects as national projects.
Naidu accused the state government of ignoring farmers' welfare. He claimed that while the TDP was in power it effectively handled the drought situation, that there were no power cuts, and that the supply to the agriculture sector was interrupted.
The TDP chief said that the TDP government also provided for good MSPs for the produce of all farmers. He also wanted to know why the government is averse to implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.
Naidu alleged that Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao is a beneficiary in the Polavaram tender process.
He claimed that KCR received benefits by assuring Polavaram project contracts to SEW Infra, a company which also invested in the TRS mouthpiece, 'Namasthe Telangaana', a vernacular daily.
He even accused the Chief Minister's Office and Kiran Kumar Reddy himself of being involved in the scam.
Naidu refuted allegations that he accumulated wealth through illegal means. He asked his critics to prove the allegations with substantial evidence.
He also offered to give his critics the power of attorney if they were ready to prove that he owns property in foreign countries.
The TDP chief sought support for the "
Rythu Poru", his padayatra aimed at highlighting farmers' issues, scheduled to be launched on 2 November. (INN)