Hyderabad: BRS MLC Dr. Dasoju Sravan on Saturday demanded that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy withdraw his alleged Bhadradri Rama remarks and tender an unconditional apology to devotees.
In a statement, Sravan accused the Chief Minister of insulting Hindu religious sentiments during the Rythu Aashirvada Sabha in Khammam district. He alleged that Revanth Reddy had turned the farmers’ meeting into an event dominated by political attacks.
Sravan said Telangana faced drought-like conditions while farmers struggled with water shortages. However, he alleged that the Chief Minister had focused on political rhetoric instead of addressing agricultural distress.
He described Lord Rama as immortal and said political power remained temporary. Moreover, he accused Revanth Reddy of making arrogant and unconstitutional statements while holding the Chief Minister’s office.
Bhadradri Rama remarks draw apology demand
Sravan objected to Revanth Reddy’s alleged statement that Bhadrachalam could be washed away. He asked how a Chief Minister could question the enduring spiritual importance of Lord Rama for political purposes.
The BRS legislator said generations had worshipped Lord Rama as a timeless and supreme deity. Therefore, he claimed that linking the deity and Bhadrachalam with destruction amounted to an attack on Hindu sentiments.
He demanded that Revanth Reddy immediately withdraw the alleged comments. Furthermore, he asked the Chief Minister to apologise to devotees by publicly acknowledging that the remarks had caused hurt.
Sravan invoked religious history and said rulers who insulted divine faith had ultimately disappeared. He added that political authority could not diminish the spiritual status of Lord Rama.
The MLC also described Revanth Reddy’s administration as a “Tughlaq rule.” In another rhetorical attack, he compared the Chief Minister’s conduct with rulers who ignored public suffering while crises deepened.
Dasoju questions Revanth on election claims
Sravan also challenged Revanth Reddy’s reported comments about the timing of the next Assembly elections.
He said the Chief Minister had allegedly predicted that elections due in 2028 could take place in May or June 2029. Sravan asked whether Revanth Reddy possessed any constitutional authority to decide the election schedule.
Additionally, he questioned whether the Election Commission functioned under the Chief Minister’s influence. He accused Revanth Reddy of speaking as though he could alter constitutional arrangements.
Sravan also referred to the delimitation debate. He alleged that Revanth Reddy had claimed Telangana’s 119 Assembly seats could increase to 182.
According to the BRS leader, the Congress high command had criticised the delimitation process as unscientific. However, he alleged that Revanth Reddy appeared to welcome it.
Sravan asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had privately shared details with the Chief Minister. He also accused Revanth Reddy of following the BJP’s political line while disregarding Rahul Gandhi’s position.
BRS MLC targets Chief Minister’s political standing
The BRS legislator claimed that Revanth Reddy’s position as Chief Minister remained unstable. He referred to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka while questioning the durability of the Chief Minister’s tenure.
Sravan alleged that Revanth Reddy frequently travelled to Delhi to protect his post. He also repeated the BRS charge that the Chief Minister transported money to the national capital, though he provided no evidence in the statement.
He mocked Revanth Reddy’s reported claim that the Congress could win 117 seats in the next election. Moreover, he cited Revanth Reddy’s earlier electoral defeat in Kodangal while accusing him of damaging the Congress party.
The MLC described the Chief Minister as politically insecure and fearful of losing office. He alleged that this insecurity had shaped the tone of his public speeches.
Bhadradri Rama remarks linked to Kaleshwaram row
Sravan connected the controversy over the alleged Bhadradri Rama remarks with the continuing political dispute over the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. He claimed that Bhadrachalam had remained safe during major Godavari floods. According to him, the river carried 36 lakh cusecs, or about 311 TMC, during the 1986 flood without destroying the temple town.
He also said a flow of nearly 24 lakh cusecs passed through the river system in 2022. Sravan claimed that the Medigadda Barrage remained intact during that flood. Against this background, he questioned the alleged warning that a flow of about 80,000 cusecs could wash away Bhadrachalam. He accused the Chief Minister of spreading fear and displaying technical ignorance.
Sravan said retired engineers had explained that authorities could lift water from the Godavari even without closing the barrage. He claimed the river flowed at about 96 metres while pumping could begin at 93 metres.
The MLC compared this proposal with the Devadula project, where water lifting took place without a barrage. Therefore, he questioned why the government had not started pumping from Kannepalli.
Medigadda repair issue raised
Sravan acknowledged that two Medigadda piers had sunk. However, he accused the government of using the structural problem as an excuse to avoid repairs and water lifting. He claimed that experienced engineers had repeatedly explained the technical options available to the government. Yet, he alleged that the administration had ignored those recommendations.
The BRS leader said the government should repair the damaged components instead of abandoning the project’s irrigation purpose. He also disputed the claim that lifting water could endanger downstream areas. According to him, the available flows and pumping levels allowed operations without creating such a threat.
Sravan accused the Chief Minister of staging a political drama to conceal administrative failure. Furthermore, he said the government lacked the ability or willingness to restore the affected structures.
Sravan alleges Telangana water diversion
The BRS MLC alleged that opening the Kannepalli pump house gates would allow water to enter the pumping system naturally. He said Telangana farmers urgently needed irrigation water for transplantation. However, he accused the government of refusing to store or lift available Godavari water.
Sravan further alleged that the government was allowing the water to flow downstream towards Andhra Pradesh. He described this as a deliberate act against Telangana’s agricultural interests.
The MLC compared the situation with Andhra Pradesh’s use of the Pattiseema project. He claimed that Andhra Pradesh lifted eight TMC of water daily to the Krishna Basin. Meanwhile, he alleged that Telangana fields remained dry because the Revanth Reddy government had not operated the Kaleshwaram system.
Sravan accused the Chief Minister of favouring Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He described Naidu as Revanth Reddy’s political mentor and alleged that Telangana’s water was being sacrificed as a gesture of loyalty.
BRS leader uses sharp rhetoric against government
Sravan used strong language while accusing the Chief Minister of betraying Telangana’s farmers. He claimed that rulers in some countries faced severe public punishment for actions against agricultural communities.
He also said the alleged diversion of Telangana’s water amounted to treason against the state. The MLC declared that the political consequences of such actions would remain with the Chief Minister.
The statement repeatedly accused Revanth Reddy of protecting political interests at the cost of farmers. It also alleged that the government had failed to use a project built specifically for Telangana’s irrigation needs. Sravan said the Chief Minister should answer whether politics mattered more than protecting crops and rural livelihoods.
Finally, he urged the government to begin water-lifting operations, repair the damaged structures and stop what he described as misleading propaganda against Kaleshwaram. He also reiterated his demand for an apology over the alleged Bhadradri Rama remarks, saying the Chief Minister must respect religious faith and constitutional responsibility.