Polavaram project: BJP asks Congress, TRS not to fan sentiments

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh unit BJP president K Hari Babu on Sunday asked leaders of TRS and Congress to refrain from making provocative statements over the passage of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha.

The passage of the bill in the Lower House recently has paved the way to aid the construction of the ambitious Polavaram project.

Addressing a press conference here, Hari Babu said that the project was very much important for Andhra Pradesh as it will bring more land under irrigation.

Taking a dig at the Congress over the passage of the bill, Hari babu said that the ordinance to club seven mandals from Khammam district of Telangana had in fact been brought by the erstwhile Manmohan Singh government.

"It is wrong on the part of senior Congress leader from Telangana, S Jaipal Reddy to oppose clubbing of seven mandals (under the bill) because as a minister he did not oppose the ordinance which was passed by the Cabinet," he said, adding that Polavaram project will not only benefit Andhra Pradesh but also Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

The BJP leader termed as "unfair" the opposition to the bill by TRS on the ground of its constitutional validity. "It's unfair on the part of TRS leaders to say that passing of the AP Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill under Article 3 was unconstitutional as Telangana state has been formed under the same article," he said.

Haribabu also criticised the demand made by certain TRS leaders to alter the design of the Polavaram project. "The design was prepared by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and its engineers. It's not the job of political leaders. Experts and engineers will execute the work as it is a Central project," he added.

Haribabu said that the NDA government at Centre will implement all the 12 to 13 projects which were approved in the AP Reorganisation Bill for the state.

Polavaram Project is a multi-purpose irrigation project. This dam across the Godavari river is under construction and located in West Godavari and East Godavari districts in Andhra Pradesh.

A day-long bandh against the passage of the bill was observed on Saturday by Left parties and Telangana Joint Action Committee (which spearheaded the separate statehood movement). The bandh was supported by TRS and Congress parties.