BRS leader T Harish Rao has challenged Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to a transparent Assembly debate on irrigation projects, particularly the Devadula lift scheme. He accused the Congress government of shifting deadlines without progress.
Published Date – 24 February 2026, 04:07 PM
Warangal: BRSLP deputy leader T Harish Rao threw down the gauntlet to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, accepting his challenge for a detailed discussion on irrigation projects, including the Devadula lift irrigation scheme, in the State Assembly.
However, he dared the government to hold a debate without switching off microphones or turning away cameras while opposition MLAs speak.
“We are ready for an Assembly debate on irrigation projects for any number of days, provided the ruling Congress does not disconnect our microphones, turn away cameras and create interruptions,” he declared.
Speaking to the media in Warangal on Tuesday, Harish Rao accused the Congress government of mocking major irrigation projects like the Devadula project by announcing shifting deadlines without ensuring progress on the ground.
While Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy reportedly set March 2026 as the deadline for completion of the Devadula project, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy spoke of March 2027, and the Chief Minister later indicated December 2025.
“Dates are changing, but not an inch of work is progressing,” he charged.
Referring to a recent visit to the Devadula project, he said only six out of ten motors at the Sammakka barrage were operational and that water lifting was far below the intended 2,700 cusecs per day.
According to him, the Chief Minister’s subsequent review and direction to run all motors came only after the BRS exposed the issue. “This is not just a victory for the BRS but for farmers,” he said.
Highlighting the BRS government’s record under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Harish Rao said Rs 7,300 crore had been spent on Devadula, bringing irrigation to over 3.2 lakh acres.
He reminded that around 48 lakh acres were brought under cultivation statewide in nine years of BRS rule. He questioned whether the present government had added even one lakh acres in two-and-a-half years.
He accused the Congress government of neglecting the irrigation projects on Godavari River with delays in land acquisition and funding. Thus, he said Revanth Reddy was indirectly facilitating uninterrupted release of Godavari River water downstream to Andhra Pradesh.
