The letter written by three Telugu Desam Party MLAs from Prakasam district to YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy opposing the construction of the prestigious Rayalaseema lift irrigation scheme has become a big embarrassment to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu.
In their letter, the three TDP MLAs – Dola Bala Veeranjaneyulu, Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Eluru Sambasiva Rao, wrote to Jagan a couple of days ago stating that the construction of Rayalaseema lift scheme on Krishna river would affect the interests of Prakasam.
They said the district would turn into a desert if the project is completed.
The letter is said to have caused a lot of embarrassment to Chandrababu Naidu. First, the MLAs did not consult Naidu before writing such a letter.
They did not even discuss the issue with Naidu so that the party would have taken a stand on this issue.
Though the MLAs might be justified in writing the letter straightaway to Jagan for their own political interests in Prakasam, they should have kept the party’s overall policy in mind on Krishna rivers and that is what has irked Naidu.
Now, Naidu cannot make any statement defending Andhra Pradesh’s interests in the wake of the confrontation with Telangana over the Krishna water projects.
If he criticises the Jagan government over Krishna waters issue, the ruling YSRC would naturally question the TDP MLAs’ letter opposing Rayalaseema lift scheme.
If he remains silent, then, too, Naidu would have to face the criticism that he has no concern for the people of Rayalaseema.
At the same time, the TDP MLAs’ letter has given double strength to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government in Telangana.
It can bring to the notice of the Centre now that Andhra leaders themselves were opposing the Rayalaseems lift scheme.
And Naidu would have to face the blame for giving such an opportunity to the Telangana government!
