Jaganmohan Reddy has decided to sit on a hunger strike, demanding due share of water for Andhra Pradesh and the intervention of Centre. (File Photo)
YSR Congress President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy would hold a three-day fast from May 16 at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh against the "faulty" irrigation policy of the TDP Government in the state.
"(Chief Minister) Chandrababu Naidu has been silent and is scared of questioning Telangana government, which is drawing away water from Mahbubnagar severely curtailing the inflow of (Krishna river) water into the state, in the wake of his involvement in cash-for-vote case.
"On the other hand, he has been liberal to contractors on irrigation projects which yield little or no benefit to the parched state," a YSRC release quoted him as saying today.
While Telangana government is going ahead with Palamuru-Rangareddy and Dindi projects, drawing more than 115 TMC of water and curtailing the Krishna waters which will severely affect the irrigation sector of the state, Mr Naidu has "no voice to question the injustice as he is deeply involved in the cash-for-vote case and is scared of broaching the issue (with the neighbouring State)," Mr Reddy alleged.
However, Mr Naidu has been very liberal to contractors, even blacklisted ones, who have undertaken works on the Pattiseema (lift irrigation scheme in West Godavari district) despite having no storage capacity, "which is laden with kickbacks", the Leader of Opposition said.
The YSRC leader said he has decided to sit on a hunger strike, demanding due share of water for Andhra Pradesh and the intervention of Centre, as the ruling TDP has "proved its inefficiency in not raising the issue of such public importance".
The three-day protest is aimed at drawing the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh towards the "injustice" being done in water sharing, to save the 'ayacut' (farms under irrigation) of Krishna and Godavari and to highlight the "failures" of Mr Naidu in mitigating the acute drought situation in the state, Mr Reddy said.
Mr Naidu's indifference towards the state came out in the open when the Union Minister (Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, MoS, Home) told Parliament special status to Andhra Pradesh would not be possible, he alleged.
"Modi, who shared the dais with Chandrababu Naidu and (Union Minister) Venkaiah Naidu during electioneering (for 2014 general elections), had said the (period of) special status (which entails a slew of sops) should be increased from five to ten years. Chandrababu Naidu had even said it should be further increased to 15 years," he maintained.
Special status to Seemandhra (new AP) was promised by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament when the Bill for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was passed.