Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said that surplus water usage can only be discussed after the completion of ongoing projects and a clear agreement on water sharing between Telugu states.
Speaking to the media after attending a Congress campaign in Visakhapatnam, Vikramarka said Telangana has secured its rightful share of water to ensure completion of its irrigation projects. “Only after determining each state’s share and completing existing projects should any talks on surplus water begin,” he stated.
He criticised attempts to raise concerns over “water going waste into the sea,” saying such claims ignore the pending completion of major Godavari projects in Telangana.
Telangana water sharing must precede any new project planning, says Deputy CM
Vikramarka cited ongoing projects like Indira Sagar, Rajiv Sagar, and Devadula, stressing that fair usage of surplus water depends on the prior fulfilment of Telangana’s irrigation needs. He asserted that creating projects in lower riparian areas before meeting upper basin requirements would worsen distribution issues.
On the Banakacharla project, he clarified that Telangana secured river water rights to irrigate its lands and revive arid zones. He emphasised that it is the Centre’s responsibility to define floodwater allocations, and accused critics of running propaganda for political gains.
Separately, while addressing a Congress rally against alleged voter list manipulation, Vikramarka said the Election Commission’s bias towards the BJP poses a serious threat to democracy. “Removing voters from the rolls amounts to suppressing their constitutional rights,” he said.
He also claimed Congress remains strong in Khammam and other districts, and expressed confidence that the party would gain ground in Andhra Pradesh, eventually leading to Rahul Gandhi’s rise as Prime Minister.
