Uttam Kumar Reddy dismisses KCR’s irrigation claims as misleading, questions unfinished projects and challenges the former CM to answer on past performance.

Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday strongly countered remarks made by BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao, accusing him of distorting facts on irrigation and water projects. Responding to KCR’s recent press conference, Reddy said most of the allegations levelled against the Congress government were “far from the truth.”

Reddy took a sharp swipe at the former chief minister’s decade-long tenure, alleging that despite massive borrowings, several key irrigation initiatives either remained incomplete or failed to deliver results. He questioned KCR’s moral authority to lecture on irrigation, pointing to projects that, according to him, suffered structural and execution issues during the previous regime.

Referring to legacy and ongoing works, the minister argued that many projects predating statehood were not completed under the BRS government. He also rejected claims made about water allocations and funding demands, insisting that the Congress administration has been more transparent about expenditure and progress on projects like Palamuru–Rangareddy.

Reddy maintained that farmers saw limited benefits during the earlier regime and urged the former chief minister to clarify unanswered questions instead of making broad accusations. He advised political leaders to engage in fact-based debate, particularly on issues that directly affect agriculture and rural livelihoods.

The exchange highlights how irrigation remains a central political fault line in Telangana. With agriculture still dependent on large-scale projects, accountability for past spending and present delivery is likely to shape public opinion, especially in drought-prone regions where farmers closely track outcomes rather than rhetoric.