The Congress party in Telangana, which has been at its wit’s end on how to tackle chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on redesigning of irrigation projects, particularly the controversial Mallanna Sagar project in his home district of Medak, has at last found a saviour to bail it out.
At a time when the Congress leaders had almost fallen in the trap of KCR, former minister Marri Shashidhar Reddy, son of late chief minister Dr Marri Channa Reddy, came to their rescue.
All these days, the Congress leaders were insisting on payment of higher compensation to farmers who were losing their lands under Mallanna Sagar project, as per the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, instead of GO No. 123. And KCR, who is very well aware that the Congress leaders would make this demand, has readily agreed for the same.
Unfortunately, they failed to understand the real issue – that the Mallannasagar project is a dangerous project that would damage the livelihood of farmers of 14 villages who would be losing their lands. And they do not want the money but to save their lands.
Shashidhar Reddy realised this point and tried to educate the Pradesh Congress Committee by making power point presentations to explain them as to why there is no need for such a huge reservoir; and that it was only a money-making scheme for KCR and his family.
Now, the Congress party has woken up from slumber and has decided to fight for the cancellation of the project rather than increased compensation. The villagers, who declared that they would not vote for the TRS again, are now looking up to the Congress!
