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Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday, July 17, stated that the Polavaram-Banakacherla project, a bone of contention between the Telugu states, was not discussed at the inter-state meeting held on Wednesday.
CM Revanth was present alongside Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu in New Delhi. In an informal chat with reporters, he also answered questions on his amicable relationship with AP CM Chandrababu.
“Even India and Pakistan hold talks. What is wrong if I speak to the CM of a neighbouring state?” he said, announcing his intentions to also meet Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to discuss the Tummidihatti irrigation project.
CM Revanth’s statements on Banakacherla came two days after the Telangana government wrote a letter to the Union government, 24 hours before the inter-state meeting objecting to discuss the Banakacherla project.
Dubbing the project ‘irrelavant and unsanctioned’, the Telangana government said that there was no need to discuss the Banakacherla project. The letter pointed out that the Banakacherla project has not received any permissions from key regulatory bodies, such as the GRMB (Godavari River Management Board), CWC (Central Water Commission), and EAC (Expert Appraisal Committee).
Adopting a similar, conciliatory approach, AP CM Naidu said that Andhra Pradesh does not want any tussle with Telangana and that both states could adopt a ‘give and take approach’.