YSRCP leaders on Saturday, 29 August accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of appropriating credit for the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project, asserting that the bulk of its construction was carried out under the governments of former Chief Ministers YS Rajasekhara Reddy and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The accusations were levelled at a press conference in Markapuram, drawing fresh attention to a long-running political dispute over one of Andhra Pradesh's most significant irrigation undertakings.

YSRCP's Core Allegations

YSRCP Campaign Wing State President Kakumanu Rajasekhar, flanked by former and sitting legislators, told reporters that Naidu had laid the foundation stone for the project in 1996 but failed to advance it into meaningful construction during his subsequent terms in office. The party contends that Naidu's current attempts to take ownership of the project amount to, in their words, 'rewriting history.'

According to the YSRCP leaders, it was YS Rajasekhara Reddy who redesigned the project under the Jalayagnam programme, incorporating twin tunnels, Nallamala Sagar, three dams, feeder channels, and major canals. The project was conceived to irrigate 4.47 lakh acres and supply drinking water to 15.25 lakh people across 30 mandals.

Tunnel Excavation: The Numbers in Dispute

The YSRCP presented a detailed breakdown of tunnel excavation progress to back its claims. According to the party, 20.33 km of tunnel excavation was completed during the construction phase initiated under YSR. During Naidu's 2014–19 tenure, only 6.686 km was excavated despite repeated deadline extensions.

The party said the remaining 10.568 km — described as the most technically challenging stretch — was completed under Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure, notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic, technical setbacks, and complications with tunnel-boring machines. Tunnel-1 achieved a breakthrough in 2021 and Tunnel-2 in 2024. Jagan subsequently dedicated the twin tunnels to the nation on 6 March 2024.

Of the total 37.587 km of tunnel excavation, YSRCP claimed 30.901 km, or 82.2 per cent, was completed during the YSR-initiated phase and Jagan's tenure, compared with 17.8 per cent during Naidu's 2014–19 government.

Demands and the Challenge to Naidu

The YSRCP leaders questioned the framing of feeder-canal lining and finishing works as though the entire project had been freshly executed under the current government. They also demanded the completion of the Teegaleru canal and full rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced families before any inauguration ceremonies are held.

The party formally challenged Naidu to an open debate grounded in official records covering expenditure, tunnel-wise excavation data, rehabilitation and resettlement status, and pending works — a challenge that, as of the time of reporting, the Chief Minister's office had not publicly responded to.

Political Context

This comes amid a broader pattern of post-election credit disputes in Andhra Pradesh, where successive governments have frequently contested ownership of flagship infrastructure projects. The Veligonda project, given its scale and multi-decade timeline, has become a particularly charged flashpoint. With the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government seeking to consolidate its political narrative around infrastructure delivery, the YSRCP's counter-offensive signals that the opposition intends to contest every such claim on the ground of documented records.

How the Naidu government responds — and whether it engages with the specific excavation and expenditure data cited — will likely shape the political discourse around irrigation development in Andhra Pradesh in the months ahead.