Andhra Pradesh: Former CM YS Jagan accuses CM Chandrababu Naidu of betraying Rayalaseema, says lifeline projects sabotaged

VIJAYAWADA: Former chief minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of betraying Rayalaseema and mortgaging Andhra Pradesh’s interests for narrow political gains. Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office, Jagan said Naidu’s actions would be remembered as a historic act of deception against the people. Jagan said that during the YSRCP government, all small reservoirs, including Gandikota and Brahmam Sagar, were completed after spending large amounts on rehabilitation and resettlement to ensure full storage of water. “We did not abandon projects halfway. We strengthened them so that Rayalaseema could live with dignity,” he said. Criticising Naidu over his stand on the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS), Jagan said, “Chandrababu Naidu has pawned the future of Rayalaseema for his selfish politics. No leader in this country has such a long record of betrayal. He will go down in history as a man who sold his own people.” He said it was disgraceful that cabinet ministers were branding RLIS as a wasteful project. “Calling Rayalaseema’s lifeline waste is an insult to every farmer in the region,” he said. Referring to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s statement in the Assembly that the Rayalaseema lift scheme was stopped at Naidu’s personal request, Jagan said it exposed a secret understanding between the two leaders. “This one statement has torn the mask off Naidu. Stopping RLIS is nothing but stabbing Rayalaseema in the back,” he alleged. Explaining the technical aspects, Jagan said the Srisailam reservoir requires a water level of 881 feet to draw water for the Pothireddypadu canal, while a flow of 7,000 cusecs is required at 854 feet. He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh could draw its full quota only two or three times, while Telangana increased allocations for projects such as Kalwakurthy, Palamuru–Rangareddy, Dindi and SLBC. “Telangana is diverting up to 8 TMC ft per day from as low as 777 feet. Under these conditions, how can AP draw water at 854 feet?” he asked. Jagan alleged that several Telangana projects violated environmental norms and National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, but went unchecked. To overcome this, he said his government launched RLIS to draw 3 TMC ft per day from the 800-feet level and spent over ₹1,000 crore to fast-track the works. “It is Rayalaseema’s misfortune that our government did not return to power. Under Naidu, an eclipse has fallen on the region,” he said. Recalling that his government supplied water to Naidu’s native Kuppam by lifting it over 500 km from Srisailam, Jagan warned leaders against rewriting facts. “Correct your mistakes, or history will remember you as a traitor,” he said. Jagan also accused Naidu of attempting to take undue credit for the Bhogapuram international airport. He claimed that Naidu initially proposed the project with 15,000 acres and later reduced it to 5,000 acres with an alleged aim of kickbacks. He said the YSRCP government completed rehabilitation and resettlement works within two years after trimming the airport land requirement to 2,700 acres.