Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 10 (ANI): Telangana Labour Minister G Vivek Venkatswamy has accused the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government of 'neglecting' the state's interests amid the ongoing water dispute with Andhra Pradesh over the proposed Banakacherla project.

The Godavari-Banakacherla Link scheme is a major project proposed by the Andhra Pradesh Government at an estimated cost of Rs 80,112 crore. The plan involves diverting 200 TMC of water from the Godavari River at Polavaram to Rayalaseema through the Bollapalli reservoir and Banakacherla head regulator. The proposal seeks to interlink the Godavari, Krishna, and Penna rivers.

The Telangana government has opposed the project.

'On the issue of Banakacherla water or any other issue. These are all mistakes made by the TRS government. It was during their time that the TRS government encouraged the Andhra government, then led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, to divert water from the Godavari, rather than trying to protect the use of Godavari water in Telangana... They have neglected the interests of Telangana,' Venkatswamy said, while speaking to ANI on Wednesday.

He also targeted the BRS working president and former minister KT Rama Rao, saying, 'It is very clear that KTR has double standards. He is unable to digest the fact that he has lost power, so on every issue, he is trying to see that a wrong impression is created and all lies are propagated...'

Earlier, Telangana Irrigation, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Wednesday that the Congress government in Telangana would continue its legal, technical, and administrative battle to reclaim the state's rightful share of the Krishna River waters.

He accused the previous BRS regime of betraying Telangana's long-term interests by compromising with Andhra Pradesh, allowing large-scale water diversion, engineering failures, and financial mismanagement.

Earlier, Uttam Kumar Reddy declared that the Telangana Government would proceed with legal proceedings to halt the Andhra Pradesh Government's Godavari-Banakacherla Link project, which he described as illegal and detrimental to the state's interests.

The minister had instructed officials to prepare the legal roadmap to challenge the project immediately and ensure that Telangana's case is strongly represented. (ANI)