Hyderabad, July 2 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader T. Harish Rao has alleged that there was a secret deal between Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on the Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project.

A day after Chief Minister Revanth Reddy accused former chief minister and BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and Harish Rao of harming the state’s interests during the BRS regime, Harish Rao on Wednesday hit back by accusing Revanth Reddy of entering into a secret deal with the neighbouring state.

The former irrigation minister claimed that the deal between the two chief ministers was struck at Praja Bhavan in Hyderabad on July 6, 2024.

Harish Rao told a press conference that CM Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy gave the green signal for the Banakacherla project.

CM Revanth Reddy had alleged on Tuesday that KCR and Harish Rao had harmed Telangana’s interests in the matter of Krishna waters first and later Godavari waters.

During a PowerPoint presentation before MLAs, the Chief Minister claimed that KCR, during a meeting with his then Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had offered to give away Godavari water, stating that thousands of tmc ft was flowing waste into the sea every year.

Referring to Revanth Reddy’s past association with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Chandrababu Naidu, Harish Rao said that by entering into a secret deal, Revanth Reddy made an offering to his ‘guru’.

Harish Rao said that despite holding a Constitutional post, Revanth Reddy was uttering lies over the river water issue.

He claimed that Telangana’s interests are paramount for BRS, which fought and achieved the Telangana state.

He said if CM Revanth Reddy is sincere in stopping the Banakacherla project, he should make public the letters he sent to the Centre over the issue.

Harish Rao asked why the presentation made by the Chief Minister had no mention of the fact that Chandrababu Naidu created hurdles for many Telangana projects like Kaleshwaram, Palamuru, Dindi and Bhakta Ramadasu.

The former minister said it was only after BRS raised the issue of Banakacherla that the Congress leaders started speaking on it.

He also alleged that Revanth Reddy made baseless allegations against BRS as he was afraid of being exposed.

Stating that he is ready to accept Revanth Reddy’s challenge for a debate in the Assembly, Harish Rao said his only precondition is that his mike should not be cut during the debate.

–IANS

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