Telangana CM sold out to Maharashtra, says Opposition

Hyderabad: Even as the Congress, Telugu Desam and CPI slammed Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, accusing him of mortgaging the interests of the state to Maharashtra through the agreement on irrigation projects signed on Tuesday, the TRS has termed the pact as ‘historic’.

While Mr Rao was busy signing the MoU with his Maharashtra counterpart Devender Fadnavis, back home, the Congress took out protest rally from Gandhi Bhavan to the Hyderabad collectorate.

TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, who led the rally, criticised the agreement saying that the CM has surrendered before the neighbouring state.

“A great injustice has been done to Telangana. Fearing that the Congress will get a good name from past projects, KCR has resorted to redesigning. He is spreading lies over the MoU. Redesigning of irrigation projects is aimed at commissions and not for the good of the people. The CM has surrendered to Maharashtra. Public money has been wasted on full page ads,” Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

CLP leader K. Jana Reddy, TPCC working president Bhatti Vikramarka, former ministers Ponnala Laxmaiah, Danam Nagender and others raised slogans against the pact.

Elsewhere, TD spokesman Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy too questioned the agreement with Maharashtra. “How can it be called historic when the state’s interest is mortgaged? It’s a black day. Telangana projects are turning into white elephants. Why is KCR silent on Almatti?” he asked.

CPI leader Chada Venkat Reddy alleged that the TS government was following the diktats of Maharashtra. “TRS may feel it’s historic, but it is not so in the eyes of the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, TRS MP B. Vinod Kumar hit back at the Opposition. “When the TRS government decided to construct projects where water is available, Congress is objecting. When Pranahita and Penganga will meet, water in the Godavari will increase. Uttam Kumar Reddy has no knowledge about projects,” he charged.