Jagan alleged that Naidu’s actions enabled Telangana to draw excess water from the Srisailam project during his first term between 2014 and 2019.
Published Jan 08, 2026 | 4:46 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 08, 2026 | 4:46 PM
Jagan alleged that during Chandrababu Naidu’s previous term, the Telangana government built or expanded infrastructure to draw and store more water from Srisailam.
Synopsis: YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of betraying Rayalaseema by calling the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme a waste of public money, saying it was the region’s only viable solution to chronic water scarcity. Jagan further alleged that Naidu deliberately stalled the project during his earlier tenure, allowed Telangana to draw excess water from Srisailam, and later shelved the scheme at the request of Telangana.
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, 8 January, criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for calling the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation (RLI) Scheme a “waste” of public money. He accused him of betraying the interests of the people of Rayalaseema and placing personal interests above public welfare.
Speaking to media persons at the party office in Tadepalli near Vijayawada, the former chief minister gave a detailed account of what he described as Chandrababu Naidu’s misdeeds, including propaganda, credit theft, corruption, financial indiscipline and deliberate opposition to the RLI project.
He alleged that Naidu’s actions enabled Telangana to draw excess water from the Srisailam project during his first term between 2014 and 2019, possibly to evade consequences in a cash-for-vote case, involving publicly available audio and video evidence.
“The remarks of the Chief Minister and his Irrigation Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu that RLI is a waste only show how they are betraying the people of Rayalaseema. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had split the beans on the floor of the House that Naidu had shelved the project on his request when he met him in person,” he said.
“He said neither Chandrababu Naidu nor his minister had denied ever obliging Revanth Reddy and shelving the project, which was quite strange. On top of it, now they are talking as though the project itself is of no use. This is a testimony to Naidu’s betrayal of the Rayalaseema people’s trust.”
Jagan said that during Chandrababu Naidu’s previous term, the Telangana government built or expanded infrastructure to draw and store more water from Srisailam. This, he said, allowed it to lift water through powerhouse operations and draw eight TMC a day from the 777 to 825 feet level.
This, he claimed, left Andhra Pradesh with no opportunity to access water, as the Srisailam level would not rise sufficiently.
Jagan said the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project, aimed at drawing three TMCFT of water a day from the 800 feet level of the Srisailam reservoir, was the only viable solution. He accused Naidu of influencing Telugu Desam Party cadres in Telangana to file cases in the National Green Tribunal to halt the project, while Telangana ignored NGT notices and proceeded with projects such as the Kalwakurthy to Dindi expansion.
Recounting achievements during his tenure, Jagan said his government ensured that all reservoirs reached full capacity, increased the capacity of the GNSS, completed the Owk tunnels, and filled reservoirs such as Gandikota and Chitravati to benefit Rayalaseema, Nellore and parts of Prakasam districts.
Jagan said that, in contrast, Naidu awarded contracts without bids for kickbacks and resorted to what he described as massive “credit chori” for projects such as the Bhogapuram airport, where the YSRCP government had completed the entire groundwork and obtained all clearances.
Jagan dismissed as propaganda the claim that industries fled the State during his term, stating that such an exodus was, in fact, happening now.
He said companies such as Sajjan Jindal Group, Aurobindo Pharma, Dalmia Group and Sriridi Sai were driven out by the current coalition government due to demands for high commissions and harassment. He asserted that investment inflows, industrial growth and job creation figures favoured his government.
He alleged that prime land was given to real estate companies at nominal rates, citing the example of the Lulu Group, which paid full value for land in Ahmedabad but received subsidies in Andhra Pradesh.
“All sections of people are unhappy with the coalition—farmers, students, women, the unemployed and employees—as they are being cheated,” he said, pointing out that Naidu had burdened the people with a power tariff hike of ₹20,135 crore, along with increases in registration fees, road cess, tolls and other charges, amid rampant corruption.
He claimed corruption extended across land, sand, liquor, gambling and ration mafias, with commissions flowing from top to bottom. Comparing financial management, he said his government raised ₹3.32 lakh crore over five years and delivered ₹2.73 lakh crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by following a welfare calendar, while the current government raised ₹3.02 lakh crore in less than two terms with no accountability, maintaining what he called a “loan calendar”.
Defending his party’s decision to approach the courts over the privatisation of medical colleges, Jagan said the one crore signatures collected represented a public mandate and the people’s voice, which must be pursued to its logical conclusion.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
