YS Jagan, Maharashtra CM And Telangana Guv To Attend Kaleswaram Inaugural Ceremony

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday said the inauguration of Kaleswaram Lift Irrigation project on Godavari will be held in the presence of Governor E S L Narasimhan and chief ministers of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Replying to a query, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not being invited for the June 21 event, but recalled that Modi was invited for the inauguration of Mission Bhagiradha drinking water scheme.

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"Do we invite for everything? We have invited (him) for Mission Bhagiradha," he told reporters Tuesday night.

Rao asserted that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government will continue the "constitutional relations" with the Centre.

"We are not part of the NDA. I, for one, I am KCR, I promoted the federal front, still I keep doing. What is wrong... We will maintain the constitutional relations (with the Centre)," he said.

The TRS government had maintained "issue-based" relations with the NDA government in the previous regime and the same will continue, he said.

Recalling that he had criticised Modi as a "fascist prime minister" after seven medals belonging to Telangana were given to Andhra Pradesh (for construction of Polavaram multi-purpose project), Rao said his party has also supported the NDA in the presidential election.

"We gave support issue-wise when we liked it, people also accepted it, and opposed when we did not like it. Same relation will continue. What is wrong in it?" the chief minister said.

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Rao also accused the Centre of not giving adequate funds to the southern state.

He said the Centre did not give even Rs 24 though NITI Aayog recommended Rs 24,000 crore funds to the state for Misson Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya schemes.

The state government will continue to place its demands before the Centre as per the constitutional scheme of things. We will be happy if the demands are met and move forward even if they are not met, he said.

"The Kaleswaram project is the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation scheme which the Telangana government has completed expeditiously," he said.

Rao recently travelled to Mumbai and Vijayawada to invite Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for the inauguration of Kaleswaram project on Godavari river.

The Godavari originates in Maharashtra and flows through Telangana before merging with the sea in Andhra Pradesh.

Rao also slammed MoS Home G Kishan Reddy for his comments that Hyderabad has become a safe haven for terror elements.

"People are laughing at him. He has become a joke.... Let us look back at the history of Andhra Pradesh. Every year, communal clashes used to take place. But there has not been a single clash in the last five years. Crime has come down drastically," he said.

He said his government has also decided to construct new secretariat and legislature buildings here. (PTI)

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