Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao has silently begun his water wars with the Jaganmohan Reddy government. Telangana has approached the Supreme Court seeking stalling of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project, saying that it was a new project begun on the Krishna river without taking necessary clearances. Now, the Jagan Reddy regime has decided to engage competent lawyers to argue the case in its favour. The AP CM has taken the project as a prestigious one for himself.
The ruling YSRCP leaders say that if KCR creates further problems on the Rayalaseema project, Jagan would take it seriously such that he would go against KCR’s pet project, Kaleswaram. As it is, Kaleswaram was also a new project which would require the same kind of clearances just like in the case of Rayalaseema Lift project.
New projects on the Krishna river would require clearances of the Apex Council consisting of Union Jal Sakti Minister and also the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Analysts say that Jagan Reddy has lost his moral right to question the legality of Kaleswaram project. It was because the AP CM had innocently attended the inaugural function of Kaleswaram. Thereby, Jagan Reddy has given his indirect approval for the project. However, after initial friendship and camaraderie, KCR is on the verge of a war path. Sceptics raise doubts whether Jagan Reddy can afford to confront KCR, given the AP CM’s massive interests in Hyderabad city surroundings.
