Bhubaneswar: A day after Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari extended his government’s support to Orissa in its fight against Polavaram irrigation project taken up by the Andhra Pradesh government, politics over the contentious project took centre-stage in the state Saturday.
Both Congress and BJP came down heavily on the BJD government over the issue asking it not to get excited about Telangana’s support, while the ruling BJD strongly defended itself holding the Congress and BJP responsible for this situation.
Leader of the Opposition from Congress Narasingha Mishra slammed the state government for its failure in properly dealing with the issue. He also blasted the ruling BJD for playing politics over this sensitive issue.
Mishra alleged that the state government has neither sought any cooperation from opposition parties on the Polavaram row nor has it taken Opposition into confidence.
“What is most unfortunate is that till date the state government has not been able to assess the loss state will bear and areas to be affected due to this project,” Mishra said.
“Orissa had signed Polavaram agreement with Andhra Pradesh earlier. However, now, the case of the controversial project is before the Supreme Court. So, it (the state government) shouldn’t get excited by the support it got from Telangana and it should also refrain from doing politics over the issue,” the opposition leader said.
BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty said that the ruling party in the state has found an escape route in Polavaram. He alleged that the Polavaram issue is being used as route by the ruling dispensation to divert public attention from BJD government’s 17 years of inefficiency and failure.
Hitting back at Congress and BJP, BJD spokesperson Prasanta Nanda said, “The state government has requisite data and information regarding Polavaram to justify its claim.”
He further stated that it is the national parties (Congress and BJP) who have undermined Orissa’s interest in Polavaram issue and have extended their support to Andhra Pradesh for political gains.
PNN
