Hyderabad: Tourism Minister J Krishna Rao on Sunday criticised statements made by K Chandrashekar Rao. He said the Bharat Rashtra Samithi had weakened and now focused on protecting its image instead of completing the Palamuru project.
Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan, Krishna Rao said KCR’s remarks aimed to salvage party credibility, not advance irrigation works. He alleged that the BRS government borrowed ₹8 lakh crore over 10 years but failed to provide irrigation water to even one acre.
He said major canal works remain incomplete. He accused KCR of raising the Palamuru issue only to divert public attention before the 2023 Assembly elections. Krishna Rao said these references served political goals, not project completion.
Palamuru project criticism deepens over costs and clearances
Krishna Rao said the project would need ₹40,000–50,000 crore to reach completion. He stressed that environmental clearances remain mandatory for proper water allocation. He added that ignoring these norms stalled progress and misled farmers.
The minister also alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party and BRS worked together in recent panchayat elections. Despite this, he said they failed to secure even one-third of the seats.
Referring to the Jubilee Hills bypoll, Krishna Rao called the result a verdict on the two-year-old Indian National Congress government. He said people had clearly delivered their message through the outcome.
