Will Jagan claim credit for Polavaram too, questions TDP leader

TDP national spokesperson Neelayapalem Vijay Kumar on Wednesday sought to know if YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would claim credit for the Polavaram project after falsely accusing Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of stealing credit for the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda project.Mr. Vijay Kumar insisted that it was during the earlier TDP regime that 72% of the Polavaram project had been constructed, and the coalition government now opened the Left Main Canal. The YSRCP’s share in the work done was barely 4%, he observed.Addressing the media at the TDP central office, near Mangalagiri, Mr. Vijay Kumar said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was unable to accept the TDP-led government’s success in taking Godavari river water to the North Andhra districts through the Polavaram Left Main Canal.He alleged that the YSRCP government had misused ₹3,385 crore provided by the Central government for Polavaram. During Y.S Rajasekhar Reddy’s tenure, only preliminary earthworks for the Polavaram canals had been carried out, and though over ₹5,000 crore was spent, main dam infrastructure, spillway designs, and final approvals from the Centre remained stalled.Mr. Vijay Kumar claimed that the Central government was releasing funds systematically, and alleged that the diaphragm wall was swept away due to the YSRCP government's criminal negligence. The TDP government secured ₹12,157 crore in Central Budget allocations for Polavaram Phase-1 pending works and achieved an overall progress of 87%, he added. Published - September 02, 2026 08:27 pm IST