*Restart Rayalaseema Lift now or face a mass agitation: YSRCP*

Anantapur, Feb 18: YSRCP District party president Ananta Venkatarami Reddy demanded the immediate restart and completion of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation (RLI) Project, warning that the party will launch sustained agitations until the government responds. Addressing the media at the YSRCP district office, he said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu must prove his sincerity toward Rayalaseema’s development by completing the project without delay, cautioning that failure to do so could push the drought-prone region toward desert-like conditions. He urged the government to stop misleading the public and said Rayalaseema would not tolerate continued injustice or political vendetta against the region in the name of targeting former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Andhra Pradesh is losing water due to unauthorized projects in neighboring states while Chandrababu remains silent. Telangana is drawing about 8 TMC daily and Karnataka is again moving to raise the Almatti dam height, threatening AP’s share. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy expanded Pothireddypadu capacity from 11,000 to 44,000 cusecs and advanced projects like Galeru-Nagari, Handri-Neeva and Telugu Ganga, while YS Jagan later planned RLI to lift 3 TMC per day during the 40 flood days at Srisailam. Rs.990 crore was spent and about 80% works were completed before being stalled in 2024 citing environmental clearances.

He stated that It has become clear that RLI works were halted to benefit Telangana interests, citing Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s statement that he had requested Chandrababu to stop the project, which they said Chandrababu has not denied. He criticized his remarks downplaying the importance of “just 20 TMC,” calling it a betrayal of Rayalaseema. He said the party would mobilize intellectuals, irrigation experts and regional activists beyond politics to build pressure until pending works are completed.

Other leaders said Chandrababu has not completed irrigation projects to his credit and habitually declares projects “not feasible” until others complete them. They warned that without RLI, even drinking water could become scarce and accused the government of prioritising Amaravati while neglecting Rayalaseema. They alleged the project was sidelined out of political hostility toward YS Jagan and said if drought worsens, the region could face severe water distress. Former minister Sake Sailajanath added that shifting institutions like AIIMS and the High Court away from Rayalaseema shows a pattern of neglect. YSRCP leaders concluded that if the government still ignores the demand, they will intensify a broad-based movement cutting across party lines to safeguard Rayalaseema’s water future.