Terming KCR a "financial terrorist", the TPCC chief demanded a white paper on the Kaleshwaram Project's estimates, revised estimates, and expenditures.
Published Nov 04, 2023 | 7:07 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 04, 2023 | 7:07 PM
A Revanth Reddy along with Rahul Gandhi at the barrage on Thursday. (X)
The Congress will “flay alive” those responsible for the shoddy construction of the Medigadda Barrage in particular, and the entire Kaleshwaram project in general, once the party assumes power in Telangana on 9 December, TPCC president A Revanth Reddy said on Saturday, 4 November.
Terming Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao a “financial terrorist”, Reddy said he used the Kaleshwaram project as a smokescreen to loot money.
“KCR changed the original design and constructed a different project. He had said that Kaleshwaram was his creation which implies that action should be taken against him now for the poor construction quality,” he said, adding that Kaleshwaram fell victim to KCR’s thirst for money.
The TPCC president said that it flummoxed him why KCR was keeping quiet even when Meiddgada had come under the spotlight for not maintaining quality construction standards. The state government has hidden the facts regarding the construction of the project.
The Medigadda Barrage in Jayashakar-Bhupalpally district became a hot topic in poll-bound Telangana after its piers sank, reportedly due to poor construction.
Reddy wondered why KCR was not initiating action against those who were responsible for the construction of the barrage. He said that the ruling class had siphoned off the money by revising the estimates for the projects.
KCR had adopted the same modus operandi for the Seetharam Lift Irrigation Scheme in the Khammam district. The original agreement with the contractor was for ₹270 crore but it was later revised upwards to ₹500 crore.
“The contractor is related to KCR,” Reddy said, adding that Kaleshwaram’s original estimate was ₹80,000 crore but it was later revised to ₹1.5 lakh crore.
The Congress leader trained guns at the BJP for not taking action against KCR. He demanded the Centre should immediately order a CBI inquiry. He asked why the BJP has been keeping silent on the demand for action against those responsible for the Medigadda muddle.
Meanwhile, the BJP state president and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy visited the barrage on Saturday and dared KCR to demand a CBI probe into the reasons that led to the present state of the barrage.
Reddy wanted the Centre to constitute a high-power technical committee with members drawn from states other than Telangana to examine the entire Kaleshwaram project and initiate action based on its report.
The TPCC president also sought the removal of K Chandrasekhar Rao and Minister T Harish Rao from their positions since they have been holding the irrigation portfolio for almost 10 years. He wanted to know why the prime minister, who always reiterated that he had zero tolerance to corruption was remaining silent even when a committee of the Jal Shakti Ministry had found defects and deficiencies in Medigadda barrage.
He ridiculed the state BJP leaders for saying that they would take action against KCR if they came to power in the state.
“Are they trying to say that they would not take action against him since there was no way they could come to power in the state,” he asked.
Reddy advised Modi, who would be visiting Telangana soon, to inspect Medigadda first before seeking votes. He demanded that the state government publish a white paper on the Kaleshwaram Project’s estimates, revised estimates, and expenditures.
The TPCC chief had inspected the barrage along with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, 2 November.
