Amaravati, Jul 18 (PTI) Senior YSRCP leader G Srikanth Reddy on Friday alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had neglected the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, and said that only former CMs YS Rajasekhar Reddy and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had worked for its upliftment.

Addressing a press conference in Kurnool, the YSRCP leader alleged that Naidu is making false claims to take credit for the Rayalaseema region.

Also Read | PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana 20th Installment Date: Eligible Farmers To Receive INR 2000 Into Their Bank Accounts on This Date, Know Steps To Check Your Name in Beneficiary List.

"Naidu has been neglecting Rayalaseema since long and has been unabashedly making false claims by trying to take credit which is not due," Reddy said.

According to the YSRCP leader, Naidu had issued an order back in 1998 to reduce the capacity of Handri-Neeva project and convert it into a drinking water project.

Also Read | Chhattisgarh: 6 Bodies of Naxals Recovered in Ongoing Encounter With Security Forces in Narayanpur.

After "dislodging" NT Rama Rao, who conceived Telugu Ganga, Handri-Neeva, and Galeru Nagari projects, Naidu never took them forward as it was not his priority, he alleged.

It was only after Rajasekhar Reddy had assumed office that the irrigation works began in the parched Rayalaseema region and he reverted the GO issued by Naidu to increase the capacity of the Handri-Neeva and Galeru-Nagari projects back to 40 TMC from 5 TMC, he said.

During Jagan Mohan Reddy's term between 2019 and 2024, he had taken forward irrigation projects worth Rs 40,300 crore and also the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project, which was nearly completed at a cost of Rs 800 crore, he said.

Further, he alleged that Naidu had relegated the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project stating that there was no environmental license.

The TDP chief is bringing up the Polavaram-Banakacherla project to 'show off', he claimed.

Naidu's interest is only in mobilising advances and kickbacks, alleged Reddy, adding that it was Jagan Mohan Reddy who had provided drinking water to Kuppam.

There was no immediate reaction from the TDP.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)