Hyderabad (Telangana), July 17: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha has sharply criticized Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accusing him of “gifting” the Godavari River water to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh during a high-level meeting with Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil.
Speaking on Thursday, Kavitha called the move a “betrayal” of Telangana’s interests and demanded Revanth Reddy’s resignation, alleging that he failed to safeguard the state’s water rights.
“He sat through the meeting and, unfortunately, gifted the Godavari water—which truly belongs to the people of Telangana—to Chandrababu Naidu. I condemn this act… A Chief Minister who failed to protect the rights of our people does not belong in that chair. We demand that he immediately resign,” said Kavitha.
Context: Interstate Water Meeting
The controversial remarks follow a tripartite meeting held on Wednesday at the Ministry of Jal Shakti, where CM Revanth Reddy and CM Chandrababu Naidu discussed water-sharing agreements and pending inter-state disputes.
Key decisions taken at the meeting, according to an official release:
- Telemetry devices to be installed for real-time monitoring of water flows in the Krishna Basin.
- Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) to be headquartered in Hyderabad.
- Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to be located in Andhra Pradesh.
- Immediate repair work on the Srisailam Project accepted by Andhra Pradesh, as proposed by Telangana.
- A joint technical committee comprising experts from both states and the Centre to be formed for further resolution.
Government’s Position
The Ministry of Jal Shakti said the meeting aimed at resolving water-related disputes amicably and ensuring sustainable, equitable water sharing. The move is being positioned as a step towards greater regional cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Telangana CMO emphasized that the meeting focused on collaboration and infrastructure improvement, including joint water monitoring systems and inter-state project coordination.
Kavitha’s criticism underscores growing political tension over inter-state water sharing, especially in the context of Telangana’s interests in the Krishna and Godavari basins.