Hyderabad, Dec 18 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday dared his predecessor and the BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao to a debate on the ‘injustice’ meted out to Telangana in the allocation and utilisation of Krishna and Godavari waters during the 10-year rule of BRS.

The Chief Minister stated that the government is ready to hold a special session of the Assembly on water sharing issues and present evidence of how Telangana was deprived of its due share of water during the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) rule.

He alleged that BRS and K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) ‘betrayed’ Telangana on river water issues during the last 10 years, worse than in united Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference, he threw a challenge to provide his allegation with evidence.

Stating that KCR is no longer active in politics, Revanth Reddy challenged KCR to write a letter as the opposition leader and seek debate on river water issues.

“We are ready for a discussion by holding a special session on who did injustice to Telangana in the matters relating to Krishna and Godavari waters,” he said.

CM Revanth Reddy was reacting to reported plans by KCR to launch a mass movement on river water allocation and irrigation projects. The BRS chief had convened a meeting of the party’s legislature wing and state executive on December 19 to chalk out an agitation strategy.

The Chief Minister said that the government is ready to discuss the issue of 42 per cent reservation for backward classes in the Assembly and move forward.

Referring to the changes in the rural employment scheme through a new act, the Chief Minister said that the ruling BJP at the centre conspired to weaken the important scheme.

He exuded confidence that Congress will retain power in the next Assembly elections with a two-thirds majority.

On the just-concluded Gram Panchayat elections, the CM said that Congress won 7,527 panchayats out of 12,702 and Congress rebels in 808.

He said Congress and Congress rebels together won in 8,335 Gram Panchayats, constituting 66 per cent of the seats, while BRS and BJP together secured 33 per cent, and the Communist parties won one per cent of the seats.

According to him, an analysis of the Gram Panchayat elections results shows Congress stood first in 87 out of 94 Assembly constituencies, while BRS led in six seats and BJP in one.

He claimed that the Congress victory is an outcome of the performance of the “people’s government” and pointed out that people voted in support of Congress in Jubilee Hills and Secunderabad Cantonment byelections.

CM Revanth Reddy said that the Panchayat elections were held in a free and fair manner and no leader, MLA or minister took any decision to influence the elections by using their positions.

“The welfare schemes, mainly fine rice distribution, bonus for Jowar crops, cooking gas cylinder at Rs 500, Indiramma houses, 200 units of free electricity, interest-free loans for women's self-help groups, implementation of SC categorisation, caste census, and other schemes drew good results in the panchayat elections,” he said.

He remarked that, along with the six guarantees, the Congress government provided freedom to the people as the seventh guarantee.

--IANS

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