BRS president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao arrives at BRKR Bhavan to depose before the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission, probing the Kaleshwaram project controversy, in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
BRS supporters during the appearance of former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao before the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission, in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL
HYDERABAD
Former Chief Minister and BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, on Wednesday, appeared before the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission probing the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).
The inquiry, held at BRKR Bhavan in Hyderabad, lasted for around 50 minutes, during which KCR was questioned as a witness. The project was marred by allegations pertaining to flaws in design, cost escalations, and structural failures.
KCR reached BRKR Bhavan at 11.30 a.m. along with other BRS leaders and thousands of party cadre who expressed their solidarity. He was accompanied by his nephew and former Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, who was with him at his farmhouse since Tuesday.
18 questions
Panel head Justice P.C. Ghose reportedly asked 18 questions to him, focussing primarily on the decision-making process behind the construction of barrages and dams, especially the controversial Medigadda barrage, which suffered structural damage.
To one of the questions posed before him, “Whose decision was it to construct the dams?”, the former Chief Minister is said to have clarified that the decision was taken by the Cabinet and implemented by the government with technical guidance from consultancy firm WAPCOS.
KCR is said to have explained that the necessary permissions were obtained before initiating the construction and re-designing of the project was necessitated taking into account advice from experts on the water availability and inter-State issues. The administrative protocols too were followed, he said.
KCR hands over book
Mr. Rao also handed over a book detailing the planning, execution, and approvals associated with the project during the BRS regime. Sources said that KCR defended the change of location and the re-designing of the project.
He also explained that the Kaleshwaram Corporation was floated to acquire loans easily, as the government intended to expedite the project construction.
Commission’s report
The former Chief Minister’s testimony will give the panel enough evidence to complete the inquiry and submit its report to the government, as engineers, politicians and administrators involved in the project have already been questioned.
The Kaleshwaram project inquiry is one of the most-politically sensitive investigations since Telangana was formed as a former Chief Minister was called for questioning. The matter continues to be in the midst of controversy with the ruling Congress and BJP questioning the alleged corruption in its construction.
The BRS, however, says it is one of the most unique projects ever taken up across the world. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao described it as the lifeline of Telangana and said that KCR would have been felicitated had it been conceived in any other State. “The Congress is hunting him down only to cloud the severe opposition to its governance from people,” he said.
Post questioning, KCR waved to his supporters and left the premises to meet party MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, who is admitted to a private hospital after injuring his leg at the farmhouse.
Published – June 11, 2025 07:35 pm is
