KCR reached the BRK Bhavan accompanied by his nephew and former minister T Harish Rao, and other senior BRS leaders.
Published Jun 11, 2025 | 3:04 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 11, 2025 | 3:04 PM
K Chandrashekar Rao. (X)
Synopsis: Former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao arrived at the BRK Bhavan around 11 am on Wednesday, and left two hours later.
Telangana’s former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) deposed before the Justice PC Ghose Commission, probing the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, on Wednesday, 11 June.
The 50-minute in-camera inquiry focused on various aspects of the project’s construction, considered a flagship initiative of the previous BRS government.
Since morning, a mix of anxiety and excitement gripped party workers, as this was the first time that KCR appeared before a probe commission. He was the 115th witness to testify.
Earlier, former finance minister and current BJP MP Eatala Rajender and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao had deposed before the commission. With KCR’s appearance, the commission is expected to conclude its work and submit its report to the state government by early next month.
KCR reportedly submitted a detailed report addressing the commission’s queries, backed by evidence, and gave a presentation outlining the project’s details.
The Kaleshwaram project, one of the world’s largest irrigation schemes, has faced scrutiny over alleged financial irregularities and engineering lapses.
The Congress-led Telangana government, under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, constituted the commission to investigate these concerns.
After deposing before the panel, KCR left without speaking to the media. BRS supporters gathered in large numbers, chanting “Jai KCR” and “Jai Telangana” in a show of solidarity. The atmosphere was charged, with party cadres accusing the Congress government of political vendetta against KCR.
KCR began his day early, departing his Erravalli residence at 9:30 am and arriving at BRK Bhavan, where the commission held hearings. He was accompanied by senior party leaders Harish Rao, Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Padma Rao Goud, Bandari Lakshma Reddy, MP Vaddiraju Ravichandra, and others.
Security was tightened around BRK Bhavan, with heavy police deployment near the Secretariat, Liberty, and Adarsh Nagar MLA quarters. Barricades were erected, and road closures caused significant traffic disruptions.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao, addressing the media at BRK Bhavan, launched a fierce attack on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. He hailed KCR as a visionary leader with unmatched expertise in irrigation, crediting him for Telangana’s statehood and transforming the region into a “lush, green state”.
KTR accused Revanth Reddy of pursuing a “destructive agenda”, alleging that the Congress government was focused on “demolishing homes, projects, and political opponents” rather than development. He dismissed Reddy as a “petty leader” incapable of governance and criticised his failure to expand the cabinet or allocate portfolios efficiently, calling him an “incompetent CM” obsessed with politically motivated probes.
Urging the public to reject “cheap politics”, KTR demanded accountability for unfulfilled promises, including the “six guarantees” and 420 assurances. He vowed BRS would expose the government’s failures and challenge Reddy’s administration “in the public arena.”
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA)’s final report, dated 24 April, said the Medigadda barrage was an indictment of engineering mismanagement, structural flaws, inadequate planning, and systemic oversight. It said all of them together led to the debacle of the multi-crore project, built by the previous BRS government.
The Ghose Commission was set up in March 2024 after the collapse of the Medigadda barrage piers and suspected structural instability in the two remaining barrages at Annaram and Sundilla.
The three barrages form an integral part of the KLIS, touted as the world’s largest lift irrigation initiative. The project involves a vast network of barrages, canals, and high-capacity pumps designed to lift water from the Godavari River and irrigate drought-prone areas across Telangana.
However, the project, which reportedly cost over ₹1.47 lakh crore, has come under scrutiny for both its price tag and its engineering failures.
The commission has been tasked with assessing the reasons for the project’s high costs, structural deficiencies, and the burden placed on Telangana’s finances due to loans taken to fund the initiative.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
