Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, has categorically denied claims that the BJP has changed its stance on the controversial Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana.
Addressing a press conference in Karimnagar on Sunday, June 22, Sanjay asserted that the party’s position remains unchanged and is in line with the statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sanjay dismissed as “false propaganda” the allegations that the BJP had altered its stand on the Kaleshwaram project.
He emphasised, “The words of Prime Minister Modi are the party’s policy. Anyone in the party speaking against this is in the wrong. Modi had earlier said that the Kaleshwaram project turned into an ATM for KCR’s family. The Prime Minister does not make statements without evidence. My stand has not changed—whether as the state party president or now as a Union Minister. The BJP’s decision is my decision.”
Bandi Sanjay slams KCR
Criticising calls for national project status for Kaleshwaram, Sanjay called it “laughable” to demand such recognition for a project that has suffered structural failures. He questioned why former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), who once claimed he could “make rivers walk,” is now silent on the project’s condition. Sanjay demanded the government provide details about water availability and the crops actually irrigated by the project.
Sanjay reiterates demand for CBI probe
Sanjay also questioned the Congress party’s silence on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged corruption in the project.
He recalled that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had, during the last election, called for a CBI inquiry into the Kaleshwaram project, labelling it as riddled with corruption. “What happened to Rahul Gandhi’s words? Now that Congress is in power, why is it not seeking a CBI investigation? It is wrong for the government to target officials while letting KCR’s family go scot-free,” Sanjay said.
He further asserted that if the BJP had the authority to order a CBI probe independently of the state government, it would have ensured that those responsible for corruption in the Kaleshwaram and phone tapping cases were put behind bars.
Sanjay targets Congress
Sanjay condemned attempts to malign the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), a constitutional body, and accused both Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi of colluding to protect KCR.
He alleged that chief minister A Revanth Reddy was acting as a “shield” for KCR, with the government failing to arrest him despite multiple cases being filed.
