Hyderabad, July 5: Tension prevailed in Jangaon and Warangal districts on Sunday after BRS workers removed police barricades to allow BRS working president KT Rama Rao and senior party leaders to continue their visit to the Kannepalli pump house. Police had erected multiple barricades and carried out preventive detentions of party workers ahead of the visit.
Police first stopped the BRS convoy at Pemberthi in Jangaon district with heavy barricading. After heated arguments between party leaders and police, BRS workers removed the barricades, allowing the convoy to proceed.
A second blockade was set up at the Raghunathpalli toll plaza, where police parked lorries across the road to prevent the convoy from moving forward.
Former minister and Suryapet MLA G Jagadish Reddy, accompanied by a large group of farmers, argued with police at the toll plaza. Meanwhile, BRS workers lifted the toll gates and cleared the route for the convoy.
The convoy later reached Parkal, where KT Rama Rao paid floral tributes to the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar before continuing towards Kannepalli. Police reportedly placed barricades at several locations along the route, while BRS workers gathered in large numbers to prevent further disruptions.
Earlier in the day, police carried out preventive detentions of BRS workers across Jangaon district and deployed additional forces along the Hyderabad Warangal National Highway to maintain law and order.
Addressing the media at Pemberthi, KT Rama Rao accused the Congress government of obstructing the visit to conceal what he described as its failure to utilise Godavari river waters effectively.
He alleged that nearly one lakh cusecs of water was being released downstream despite drought concerns linked to El Nino. He also claimed that water could be lifted from the Kannepalli pump house without depending on the Medigadda barrage, stating that the present Godavari water level was sufficient for pumping operations.
Rama Rao challenged the State government to hand over the Kaleshwaram project to the BRS if it was unable to operate it. He claimed the party could fill major reservoirs within a week.
He further alleged that the government was delaying repairs to the Medigadda barrage and attempting to sideline the Kaleshwaram project. He said the BRS would continue its campaign on irrigation and farmers’ issues and would reach Kannepalli under any circumstances.
