Known for his occasional guest appearances in politics once again, former Congress MP from Rajahmundry Vundavalli Arun Kumar on Saturday targeted YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy once again on Polavaram project issue.
Speaking to reporters at Rajahmundry, Vundavalli wondered why the chief minister was keeping silent on the reduction of water levels in Polavaram major irrigation project on Godavari river.
“What is the stand of YSRC on Polavaram project? Why is Jagan silent on the controversy?” he asked.
The former MP came in defence of Telugu Desam Party president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, stating that Naidu had never written any letter to the Centre requesting that the construction of project should be given to the state.
“There is no clarity from the Centre as to why it has entrusted the project execution to the state. What is there in the letter written by Niti Aayog to Prime Minister Narendra Modi based on which the project was given to the state?” he asked.
Vundavalli demanded that the Jagan government should publish a White Paper on the construction of Polavaram project.
“The recent letter written by the Centre reducing the project cost is nothing but an insult to the AP government. In fact, the Centre itself had agreed in the past to bear the entire cost of the Polavaram project,” he pointed out.
He said the cabinet note of 2017 was no secret and that he had already disclosed the same in the past.
“But how can any government complete the project in 2020 at 2013 rates? Is it proper on the part of the Centre?” he asked.
Accusing Jagan of being scared to question the Centre on the injustice meted out to the state, Vundavalli sought to know whether Jagan was afraid of facing the CBI cases as is being apprehended by the people.
“There is no need to use Polavaram for politics. It is time Jagan Reddy should open his mouth and disclose facts on the height of Polavaram water level. The ministers are creating confusion among the people by making contradictory statements with every passing day,” Vundavalli said.
