KCR: Won't seek vote in 2023 if Nellikal project is incomplete

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday vowed to visit Nagarjunasagar within a fortnight after a TRS victory in the upcoming assembly bypoll on April 17, “to fast track projects and show people what development of a constituency means.”

The Chief Minister, who also heads the ruling TRS party, resolved that his party will not seek votes in the 2023 Assembly polls if it failed to complete the Nellikal lift irrigation project in Nagarjunasagar within a span of 18 months. He promised to complete this project even by seeking alms, not just funds, if required.

KCR was addressing a huge public meeting at Halia to campaign for the TRS party’s candidate Nomula Bhagat, son of deceased MLA. In his 25-minute speech, the chief minister targeted the Congress while avoiding any reference to the BJP. Rao lashed out at Opposition parties over their “attempts” to block his public meeting by approaching the high court and the election commission citing the Covid restrictions.

“Ensure victory for Nomula Bhagat. I will again come to Nagarjunasagar within 15 days. I will put projects on the fast-track and show people the taste of development and also show what real development means," Rao remarked amid huge applause from the people.

He added, "Don't get confused during the elections. Think wisely before casting your vote. Everything is in front of your eyes. You all know what the TRS government has done for the state’s development and people’s welfare all these years. If you give victory to a party that works with sincerity and conviction, that will boost its morale and encourage us to deliver even more," Rao said.

The CM promised to sanction one more degree college in Nagarjunasagar apart from the recently sanctioned degree college at Halia. KCR promised to provide new Aasara pensions and ration cards besides giving ownership rights to people who constructed houses on irrigation department lands in Nagarjunasagar. He also promised to hold a praja darbar in Nagarjunasagar first to resolve the podu land issues of tribals across the state by hectoring the entire state government machinery to the constituency.

Reacting to the statements of some Congress leaders during the campaign that the CM's post to KCR was Jana Reddy's 'biksha', Rao said: "If Jana has that capacity, will he ever give the CM post to me? My CM post is not Jana's biksha, it’s the Telangana people's biksha. Congress leaders like Jana Reddy acted like beggars before the Andhra rulers for posts and to promote their selfish political interests.”

“The TRS never compromised the state’s interests with anyone for any post. We rather resigned our posts several times and fought bypolls demanding statehood for Telangana."

KCR said Jana who boasted of serving as MLA for 30 years failed to provide even drinking water to the people of Nagarjunasagar. It was the TRS government that found a permanent solution to the fluoride problem in Nalgonda district by providing treated drinking water to every household through taps under the Mission Bhagiratha scheme.

The CM asked voters to think about the TRS government's schemes of Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, Aasara pensions, 24x7 free power supply to agriculture, uninterrupted power supply to all sectors, Mission Bhagiratha etc before casting their vote.

KCR promised to make local party leader Koti Reddy an MLC soon after Bhagat wins, saying they both will ensure further development of Nagarjunasagar as elected representatives of the TRS.