Hyderabad: Allegations of irregularity in the Pattiseema project dominated proceedings in the AP Assembly on Tuesday. AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu rejected Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s contention that AP requires the permission of Telangana for the lift irrigation project.

“It is a floodwater-linked project within AP’s boundaries and we don’t need anyone’s permission,” Mr Naidu said.

The AP CM accused Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on the Floor of the House of acting hand-in-glove with the Telangana CM on the issue. “YSRC said yesterday that Telangana will raise objections over the project. The Telangana CM obliged by raising objection. What does this indicate?” he asked.

A report published in the Sakshi newspaper owned by Mr Jagan over the Polavaram project forced Mr Naidu to accuse the Opposition leader of “ill intentions and doing harm to the interests of the state”.

The report mentioned about a meeting of the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) in which the state government tried to take into its hands all the works under the project. Mr Naidu came down heavily on the report saying, “It is mischievous, baseless and misleading and detrimental to the interests of the state”.

Mr Naidu said what transpired in the meeting was different and what appeared in Sakshi was different.

Project’s water to AP capital

Raising the pitch against Pattiseema project, the YSRC charged that it was aimed at taking water to the new capital and not to irrigate Rayalaseema as projected.

Uravakonda legislator K. Vishweswara Reddy from Anantapur district, challenged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s argument regarding the project the previous day.

“Mr Naidu is trying to brand us as anti-Rayalaseema. Where does the GO mention about water to Rayalaseema? It mentions no area at all. What did the government say before Godavari Tribunal? Mr Naidu’s words do not match his deeds,” Mr Visweswara Reddy said. He said he would not enter the Assembly again if Pattiseema is completed within a year.

He questioned why a paltry amount of Rs 5,000 crore was allocated for a irrigation project when the government wants to complete all projects including Polavaram. Mr Naidu was repeatedly saying that Rayalaseema will get water at any cost, but in the Budget, just Rs 600 crore was allocated for all the projects of Rayalaseema. Is it possible?” Mr Visweswara Reddy asked.

Advising the state government not to go pamper its ego, he cautioned that Pattiseema will be a parallel project for Polavaram, which is the lifeline of AP. "Don’t think that you are the Chief Minister of undivided state. Our priorities have to undergo a change and we need to go in a planned way,” he said.