Jagan accuses Naidu of ‘stealing’ credit for Veligonda project, claims twin tunnels completed by YSRCP govt

Vijayawada, Aug 30 (IANS) YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday expressed satisfaction over the Veligonda Project becoming a reality, calling it the fulfilment of his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s dream, while sharply criticising Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly attempting to “rewrite” the project’s history and “steal” credit.

In a detailed post on X, Jagan said the project serves as a lifeline for lakhs of families suffering from fluorosis due to lack of safe drinking water and for farmers’ long-awaited irrigation. He said his government had completed the most challenging twin tunnels and dedicated them to the nation, enabling Krishna waters to flow through them.

Jagan accused Naidu and “yellow media” of running a publicity campaign to steal credit for work done by others. He claimed the foundation stone alone was laid by Naidu, while the vision and comprehensive development belonged to YSR. The crucial twin tunnels, he said, were completed during the YSRCP government’s tenure.

According to Jagan, Naidu hurriedly laid the foundation stone in 1996 just before elections and then abandoned the project. Despite remaining in power for eight years until 2004, Naidu’s government spent only Rs 10 lakh, mostly on the foundation stone ceremony, he alleged. After becoming Chief Minister, YSR gave the project a comprehensive shape under Jalayagnam, initiating construction of the twin tunnels, Nallamala Sagar reservoir, three dams, feeder channel and main canals. Of the total 37.587-km twin tunnel length, 20.333 km was completed under YSR’s initiatives.

During Naidu’s 2014-2019 term, only 6.686 km was completed without a breakthrough in either tunnel. The remaining and most difficult 10.568 km was finished by the YSRCP government despite the COVID-19 pandemic and financial constraints—Tunnel-1 in January 2021 and Tunnel-2 in January 2024. The tunnels were dedicated on March 6, 2024, along with head regulators and canal-linking works, he said.

Jagan questioned how Naidu could claim to have built the entire project. He further accused the present government of neglecting the region by failing to complete the 131-bed super speciality hospital at Peddadornala and the government medical college at Markapuram, both initiated by the previous regime, and of allegedly attempting to privatise the medical college. He also criticised delays in rehabilitating displaced families, incomplete payment of resettlement and rehabilitation packages, and failure to convey water to Nallamala Sagar for over two years.

Jagan urged Naidu to set aside publicity, fill the reservoir, supply irrigation and drinking water, and complete the hospital and medical college in the government sector, stating that the people of the backward region needed these benefits rather than credit-stealing politics.

–IANS

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