Brief

KTR blames Congress government for Telangana water crisis

BRS Working President KTR says the state’s water distress is a result of Congress‑led mismanagement, not seasonal factors.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:16:26 GMT

Working President of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), K. T. Rama Rao (KTR), used his X account on October 16 to accuse the Congress‑led Telangana government of creating a drought by failing to utilise river water, alleging that more than 1,000 TMC of Godavari and Krishna water have been wasted since June.

What happened

KTR’s post listed 750 TMC of Godavari water and 250 TMC of Krishna water released downstream from June 1, 2026 to the day of his statement. He said key lift‑irrigation projects such as Kannepalli, Devaradula, Palamuru‑Rangareddy and KLI pumps were left idle, preventing water from filling rural tanks and balancing reservoirs. He also claimed that the state ignored expert warnings of an upcoming El Niño since March, allowing neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to divert water through Puttisema, Pothireddypadu and the Veligonda tunnel.

What the reports add

The source notes that on October 11, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy ordered officials to draft an immediate action plan for the El Niño impact, holding a review meeting at his Jubilee Hills residence. The CM instructed a crop‑assessment and a guarantee that no water shortage would affect the harvest, and announced a forthcoming special meeting with ministers to decide further steps.

What was said

"This is not a drought brought by time… This is a drought brought by Congress!!" KTR wrote on X, according to the News18 feed. He added, "Even though experts warned since March this year that El Niño is coming, the Congress government ignored it." The report also records the CM’s remarks that officials must ensure "not a single drop of water goes to waste" and that special measures are needed to prevent the crisis from worsening.

How it came about

The dispute follows a broader water‑security context in Telangana, including the state’s plan announced on October 13 to add 60 MGD of drinking water from the Krishna river and other sources (Felo coverage). Earlier, the Congress party had been active in the state, launching a graduate‑voter enrolment drive (Felo coverage). KTR’s accusations therefore intersect with ongoing political competition and the looming El Niño‑related drought.

Key facts

KTR claimed over 1,000 TMC of river water was wasted since June 1, 2026 (news18.com)
He said key lift‑irrigation pumps were not operated, preventing water storage (news18.com)
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy ordered a review meeting on October 11 to address the El Niño impact (news18.com)