KADAPA: Telugu Desam Party leaders on Wednesday charged Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy with inciting regional conflicts over utilisation of Krishna water in the State.

The TDP is not opposed to the decision to increase the capacity of the Pothireddipadu head regulator but was questioning the Government's `unilateral decision,' Desam MPs Ravula Chandrasekhara Reddy, Ummareddy Venkateswarlu and C. Ramachandraiah maintained at a press conference at Proddatur. The issue would not have become controversial had the Government convened an all-party meeting and reviewed the situation before issuing G.O. 170, they said. Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy was acting like a `group leader' by his `dictatorial decisions,' they alleged.

Desam `achievements'

The Telugu Desam Government conceived Telugu Ganga, Galeru Nagari, KC Canal modernisation and augmentation works on the Pothireddipadu head regulator and the Owk reservoir and completed about 80 per cent of works, the MPs asserted. Former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao had proposed enhancement of capacity of the Pothireddipadu head regulator, they stated. They accused Dr. Reddy of raking up regional rifts on Krishna water issues as part of "a conspiracy.''

Farmers suffered extensive crop loss due to heavy rain and floods and agricultural labourers were left without work, they said and charged the Government with failing to provide succour.

Crops inspected

The TDP leaders said they were touring Kadapa and Anantapur districts in Rayalaseema region to gauge the farmers' plight and would forward a report to the Government. The team toured Rajupalem, Jammalamadugu and Peddamudiyam mandals and inspected damaged groundnut and other crops.

The TDP would launch movements to focus on problems of farmers and people, they said. Polit Bureau member K. Sivananda Reddy, district TDP President R. Ramesh Kumar Reddy, former Minister S. Saraswathi, former MLA M.V. Ramana Reddy, and leaders M. Linga Reddy, K. Ramesh Reddy, V.S. Ameer Babu and L. Madhusudan Reddy also took part.

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