NAVEENA GHANATE
Hyderabad
Ahead of the centenary of the famous freedom fighter and senior Telangana politician, the late Chennamaneni Rajeshwar Rao, the Vemulawada constituency has come into focus as the Chennamaneni scions choose sides.
Vemulawada MLA Dr Chennamaneni Ramesh Babu paid a courtesy call on Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at the Pragathi Bhavan and thanked him for appointing him as the Chief Advisor to the Government (Agriculture) on Wednesday.
The sitting MLA was refused a BRS ticket citing citizenship issues and it was given to Chalmeda Lakshmi Narasimha Rao in Vemulawada. Ramesh Babu is the son of Chennamaneni Rajeshwar Rao, the elder brother of former Union Minister and ex-Governor of Maharashtra, Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday Dr Chennamaneni Vikas Garu, the son of Vidyasagar Rao and his wife Deepa joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on the occasion of the centenary of his social service, named Package 9 of the Kaleshwaram Project providing irrigation and drinking water to Sircilla and Vemulawada constituencies as ‘Chennamaneni Rajeshwar Rao.’ KCR remembered their social services on this occasion. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, “A freedom fighter, a first-generation politician of Telangana, Chennamaneni Rajeshwar Rao was a great leader who constantly fought for the people.”
He has a history of fighting for lift irrigation schemes and for the Telangana peasantry in those days. Chennamaneni Rajeshwar Rao won elections many times as an MLA and fought many battles for lift irrigation schemes to solve the irrigation and drinking water problems of the people of the Vemulawada and Sircilla.
“Reflecting his hopes and ideas we have constructed lift irrigation projects. Water is being supplied from Mid Manair to Upper Manair through lifts.
In this context, in recognition of his hard work the name ‘Chennamaneni Rajeshwar Rao’ has been given to the Malkapeta Reservoir as a whole for Package 9,” the CM said. The government will issue orders as per the CM’s decision.
Ramesh Babu said that Telangana which had faced an agricultural crisis for over six decades is relieved now and made farming a profitable profession in just 10 years under KCR.
The Chief Advisor said Telangana has become a role model for the country in implementing agricultural policies.
The Chief Advisor said he will take up the responsibility entrusted to him by the CM and will prepare for future challenges in the second phase of agricultural development under the CM’s leadership.
