Tadepalli: The YSRCP accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of making hollow claims about the Polavaram project while neglecting Rayalaseema’s water needs.

Speaking at the party headquarters here on Thursday, former minister Ambati Rambabu said that the Polavaram–Banakacherla project was YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s brainchild, not Naidu’s. He criticised Naidu’s recent Delhi meeting with Telangana’s Chief Minister as a political stunt, yielding no results or official statements.

Rambabu said the project lacks approval from the Polavaram Project Authority and Central Water Commission. He alleged that Naidu’s focus is on securing kickbacks through mobilisation advances rather than project completion.

The project’s viability hinges on maintaining a 42-metre water level, but Naidu’s agreement to lower it undermines its effectiveness. Rambabu claimed Naidu cannot complete Polavaram by 2027, accusing him of ignoring expert advice for personal gain.

He recalled a similar fruitless meeting last year between the two Telugu states’ leaders on water issues. The YSRCP leader warned that Naidu is misleading the public on Polavaram and Amaravati, asserting that only YS Rajasekhar Reddy and Jagan Mohan Reddy genuinely worked for Rayalaseema’s development. He also condemned Naidu for visiting the HNSS project site only to criticise YSRCP and for police actions against citizens attending Jagan’s meetings, labelling it political repression.