CM, Congress Counter KCR on Krishna Waters, Ask Him to Face Assembly Debate

The Congress government on Tuesday strongly countered former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) over his remarks on Krishna river water sharing and irrigation, accusing him of misleading the public on Palamuru while avoiding a debate in the Assembly.

KCR’s recent media interaction focused largely on Palamuru district, where he defended the BRS government’s handling of the Palamuru - Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) and claimed that nearly 90 TMC of Krishna water was required for the project. He criticised the Congress government for seeking only 45 TMC , alleging dilution of Telangana’s interests.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy rejected the charges, saying KCR chose to address the media instead of raising the issue on the floor of the House. He challenged the former Chief Minister to attend the Assembly and participate in a full debate on Krishna and Godavari water sharing when the winter session begins on January 2 .

Responding specifically on Palamuru, Excise Minister Jupalli Krishna Rao said the project was taken up without statutory environmental clearances and without assured water allocations , calling it a serious administrative failure. He said this led the National Green Tribunal to impose a ₹400-crore penalty on the State, and accused the previous government of staging symbolic inaugurations without delivering irrigation benefits to farmers.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy echoed the criticism, saying Palamuru continued to suffer despite a decade of promises under BRS rule. With Palamuru now central to the political confrontation, the Congress has pressed KCR to shift the debate from press conferences to the Assembly floor.