Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s knee-jerk reaction helped YSRC president Jaganmohan Reddy score over the ruling party in protecting the water rights of the Andhra Pradesh from Telangana, which is aggressively constructing many irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers. This is a great morale booster for YSRC, which has been battered politically both in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by unending defections.

According to sources, half of the time of cabinet marathon meeting yesterday was devoted to discuss the points raised by Jaganmohan Reddy and on how to give rebuttal mainly on the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy , Dindi and extension of Kalwakurthi projects. How far it is true nobody knows, but Jagan put forth a very sound argument against Chandrababu Naidu with regard to his silence over these projects for exactly one year.

Had Naidu fought consistently against these projects, Telangana CM could not have laid foundation for these projects on Krishna upstream Srisailam project. There was a hue and cry when KCR announced these projects in the first quarter of 2015.

To show his opposition to these projects in May 2015 Naidu dashed of two letters, one to the apex body, created under the headship of union water resources minister Umabharati, and two, to the Prime Minister demanding immediate stopping of these projects.

The letters created so much commotion in Telangana that TRS organized Mahabubnagar district bandh on July 11., 2015. Protests had been observed all across the state. TRS minister demanded TDP MLAs that they should get the letters written by Naidu withdrawn before criticising KCR government. Nizambad MP Kavita attacked Naidu on day to day basis.

And Suddenly Naidu had forgotten the issue, to be precise exactly from July 2015. This was the time when Cash-for Vote sting operation conducted by Telangana CID came to fore. And Naidu got himself caught up in the mess. Now this is May 2016 which means for one year there has been no follow up action on the letters written by the state to the centre. Naidu has not even registered a token protest when KCR laid foundation stone for these projects.

Jagan’s criticism that Naidu thrown the interests of Rayalaseema and Krishan Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts to the winds carries some weight.

*Why should it take one year for Naidu’s cabinet to take up the matter ?
*Why should it take one year for Naidu to take a decision to write a letter to centre on these projects?

Naidu’s owes explanation to the people of the state.

Just have a look at what Monday’s cabinet meeting decided:

• AP will take up all the projects designed and taken up by Telangana on Krishan and Godavari rivers to the notice of the Apex body headed union water resources minister Uma Bharti. State will write a reminder to the centre.
• If necessary the state government would take legal recourse to stall these projects.
• The state will request the union government to convene a meeting of Apex body so that the concerns of Andhra Pradesh on the ongoing Krishna and Godavari projects in Telangana could be discussed and settle amicably.
• Any Project or modification for the projects on both the rivers should have the permission of the Apex body.
• The Apex body, in which the CMs from Andhra and Telanana were members is yet meet. It should immediately discuss the construction of Palamuru-Rangareddy, Dindi and Kalawakurthy.
• No project should be allowed to take up at the cost of the lower riparian state of Andhra Pradesh.