In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the Rajya Sabha member from Congress, K. V. P. Ramachandra Rao, has reiterated his demand that the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu led Andhra Pradesh Government mount pressure on the Central Government to ensure implementation of promises made to the State including the construction of Polavaram project during the State bifurcation.
“The Chief Minister should ask his party’s MPs to mount pressure on the Centre to enact a legislation making it mandatory for the Central government to bear the costs incurred on Polavaram project which has been declared as a national project under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014,” he said.
Dr. Ramachandra Rao, in his nine-page letter, said how could the government, which “compromised” on the promises made to the State at the time of bifurcation, cast aspersions on him, claiming that he (Dr. Rao) was obstructing the project works.
He dared Mr. Naidu and his confidants to prove their charges against him and offered to resign from his post, and quit active politics if they succeeded in their efforts.
The government could appoint an inquiry commission to prove its charges against Dr. Ramachandra Rao if need be. “The ruling party leaders should disclose the facts pertaining to Polavaram project if they cannot prove their charges against me. ,” he said.
Dr. Rao criticised the ruling party for accepting the terms and conditions imposed by the Central government for completion of the Polavaram project.
The Centre had categorically said it would not accept any escalation of the costs in spite of the delays in the execution of the project, but the State remained silent, rendering its motives suspicious.
