Former chief minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao today was grilled by the inquiry commission on the alleged irregularities during the execution of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) for 50 minutes, but the questioning was done one-on-one with only officials present in the hall.

Rao, popularly known as KCR, handed over a CD and other documents to the commission and explained that decisions were taken according to recommendations of WAPCOS, a PSU under the Union Jal Shakti ministry, after the Maharashtra government objected to the location of the main barrage at Tummidihatti. Key decisions regarding KLIS were taken by the technical team of engineers and duly ratified by the Cabinet, said KCR.

Advertisement

Former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appeared before the retired Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh Commission probing the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme at BRKR Bhavan at 11:30 am. He was the 115th witness to appear before the commission. A large number of BRS leaders and cadres had gathered near the BRKR Bhavan, which is serving as the office of the commission, to express solidarity with Rao. There was a heavy police deployment at BRKR Bhavan. Even before leaving the farmhouse at Erravalli, several BRS leaders met Rao, including his daughter and BRS MLC Kavitha. Nine senior BRS leaders, including T Harish Rao, Madhusudan Chary, and RS Praveen Kumar, accompanied him to the commission.

During his interrogation, however, the hall was emptied at the request of the former chief minister, who said he was not well. He was asked about 18 questions by the commission. KCR was primarily quizzed about choosing Medigadda over Tummidihatti for constructing the barrage, to which he replied that this was approved by the Union government, following which a Cabinet subcommittee was formed to look into the matter. WAPCOS, appointed by his government to assess the availability of water, had also recommended Medigadda. The Maharashtra government also did not approve of a barrage at Tummidihatti despite several meetings. Asked about funding, the former chief minister said they had secured funds, and it was only because of the pandemic, when revenue collection fell, the government chose to be the guarantor to secure loans.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao, who waited outside with cadres, said that the Congress and BJP had started a smear campaign against the Kaleshwaram scheme and KCR. He slammed the Congress for ignoring the benefits of the KLIS and focusing only on two piers of the Medigadda barrage to badmouth the former chief minister and deliberately delaying the repair. He said, “Both the BJP and Congress are conspiring against him. The project, completed in just four years under his leadership, benefited 45 lakh acres of land. However, the project is being maligned for political benefits.