What Did KCR Reveal Before the Ghose Commission Regarding the Kaleshwaram Project?

Hyderabad, June 11 (NationPress) Former Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President K. Chandrasekhar Rao appeared before the PC Ghose Commission on Wednesday, which is investigating the alleged discrepancies in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project.

The Commission interrogated him for approximately 50 minutes at BRK Bhavan near the State Secretariat, while thousands of party supporters gathered outside to demonstrate their backing.

Despite nine BRS leaders being permitted to accompany KCR during the session, the BRS chief, who was suffering from a cold, opted to be questioned alone.

P. C. Ghose and Commission secretary Muralidhar conducted the questioning in the courtroom.

It is believed that KCR was asked about the redesign and re-engineering of the projects, focusing on their technical details, approvals, and the allocation of funds.

KCR reportedly submitted a report to the Commission detailing key aspects of the project and justifying the need for its redesign and re-engineering.

The former chief minister arrived at BRK Bhavan around 11 a.m. and entered the premises accompanied by senior party leaders, including former Minister T. Harish Rao and former MP Santosh Kumar.

Prior to this, K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) departed for Hyderabad from his residence in Erravalli located in Siddipet district, in a convoy. Strong security measures were enacted at BRK Bhavan as BRS leaders, including KCR’s son and BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao, convened at the nearby MLA Quarters in Adarshnagar to express their solidarity.

Numerous party supporters assembled on the streets surrounding BRK Bhavan to show their support for KCR, leading to challenges for the police in maintaining order among the BRS cadres, who were vociferously chanting slogans.

Speaking to reporters near BRK Bhavan, Rama Rao accused the Congress government of engaging in political vendetta, asserting that 'even if Congress leaders were reborn a hundred times, they could not match KCR's contributions to Telangana.'

KCR served as chief minister from 2014 to 2023. The Ghose Commission had summoned KCR on June 5, but he requested a postponement to June 11.

The Commission, led by retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose, is investigating alleged irregularities in the planning, design, construction, quality control, operation, and maintenance of the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla Barrages of the Kaleshwaram project.

This one-man Commission was established in March 2024, following the collapse of some piers at the Medigadda Barrage.

BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao appeared before the Commission on June 9, explaining that the project redesign was necessitated due to objections from Maharashtra and the Central Water Commission (CWC).

He clarified that, due to water availability issues at Thummidihatti, the project's location was shifted to Medigadda after a thorough survey.

Harish Rao was the irrigation minister from 2014 to 2018 when the lift irrigation project was established across the Godavari River by the then BRS government.

After his testimony to the Commission, Harish Rao met KCR several times to update him on his deposition.

Previously, BJP MP and former minister Eatala Rajender testified before the Commission on June 6. Rajender, who served as finance minister from 2014 to 2018, distanced himself from the execution of the Kaleshwaram project, asserting that all construction and financial decisions were the responsibility of the Irrigation Department.

Rajender had previously held the position of health minister in the second term of BRS (2018-2023) but resigned from the party and joined the BJP in 2021 after KCR removed him from the Cabinet due to allegations of land grabbing.

The Commission's term has been extended multiple times, having been prolonged seven times since its initial end on June 30, 2024.

Notices were issued to KCR, Harish Rao, and Rajender last month, shortly after the state government extended the Commission's term for an additional two months, until July 31, to allow for the completion of the examination of all involved.

The Commission has so far interrogated 115 individuals, including 100 engineers, retired and active officials associated with the barrages, and others.