ANI
04 Apr 2025

Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 4 (ANI): Former Water Resources Minister of Andhra Pradesh and YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu on Friday accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of yielding to the Centre's view of reducing the height of the Polavaram dam.

He also said that his party has opposed the Wakf Bill in the Parliament as it goes against the interests of minorities.

Speaking to media here on Friday, Ambati Rambabu alleged that Chandrababu Naidu has compromised on Polavaram and is doing a great disservice to the State by agreeing to the reduction of dam height to 41.15 metres instead of the original 45.72 metres and this was confirmed by the annual report of Jal Shakti.

'The centre has washed its hands off by stating that funds would be allocated to the project having a height of 41.15 meters, and Chandrbabu Naidu has agreed to it as his priorities lie elsewhere. Even on the Special Category Status (SCS), Chandrababu Naidu has the dubious distinction of agreeing to a special package, and now he has watered down the Polavarm by agreeing to the terms of the Centre to pursue his personal interests,' he said.

'The two union ministers could not talk about the reduced height nor the Party being a key player in the NDA coalition, which shows that Chandrababu Naidu is seeking some other favours at the cost of Polavaram, which is the lifeline of the state that is designed to provide water for irrigation, drinking and industrial use,' he added.

Rambabu alleged that Chandrababu Naidu has been using YS Sharmila as a puppet to target YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and this has become a pattern.

'Whenever Chandrababu Naidu is in trouble, YS Sharmila comes out with damaging words against his brother, and we have every reason to believe that it is being done at the behest of TDP leadership. He has been using her as a diversion tool, which has been proven more than once,' he said.

Rmbabu said YSRCP has strongly opposed the Wakf Bill in both the Houses of Parliament and YV Subba Reddy made a categorical stand on the issue in the Rajya Sabha. (ANI)