BRS Had Ten Years. Why Is KTR Praising Chandrababu Now?

KTR Praises Chandrababu on Irrigation

KTR‘s praise for Chandrababu Naidu over water management in Andhra Pradesh raises a question for the BRS leadership. If Chandrababu can lift water and protect farmers despite drought conditions, what did BRS achieve in its ten years of power in Telangana?

Speaking about the water crisis, KTR reportedly pointed out that even a woman in Vijayawada had asked her mother, who was living in Hyderabad, to return home after hearing about the city’s water shortage. He went on to appreciate Chandrababu Naidu for lifting water despite drought conditions, saying there was no crop holiday in Andhra Pradesh.

Chandrababu returned to power in Andhra Pradesh in 2024. His government has had around two years to work on its priorities. BRS, on the other hand, ruled Telangana from 2014 to 2023. It had nearly a decade to build irrigation infrastructure, strengthen water management and prepare the state for difficult rainfall seasons.

Ten Years of BRS: What Is the Irrigation Legacy?

Irrigation was one of BRS’s biggest promises. Kaleshwaram was projected as a major solution to Telangana’s water and agricultural needs, with enormous public investment going into the project. Yet the CAG’s performance audit raised serious questions about its planning, execution and financial implications.

Today, KTR is highlighting the importance of lifting water and ensuring that farmers do not suffer because of drought. That raises a straightforward question: why was the same level of preparedness not firmly established during BRS’s ten years in power?

Chandrababu’s Work Has Become a Talking Point

KTR’s statement has brought Chandrababu Naidu’s approach to water management into the discussion. For a leader from Telangana to cite Andhra Pradesh as an example is significant because it invites a comparison of governance and planning.

The question is not whether KTR should praise Chandrababu. If a policy or administrative decision is helping farmers, it deserves recognition. The question is why BRS, after ruling Telangana for nearly ten years, is now pointing to another state’s approach as an example of how a water crisis should be handled.

BRS has every right to question the Congress government over the present situation in Telangana. Farmers’ problems must be addressed, and the current government must explain its response. But BRS cannot discuss water management as though it has no history of its own to answer for.