The Veligonda Project has a long history of public movements and political efforts dating back to the 1980s. Communist leaders and farmers’ organisations carried out sustained struggles demanding the project’s construction and the provision of irrigation water to drought-prone areas.
In recognition of the spirit of those movements, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy named the Veligonda Project after prominent Communist leader Poola Subbaiah.
However, a fresh political debate has emerged over the history and credit for the project, with Communist leaders questioning current claims by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that he laid the foundation stone for the Veligonda Project in 1996.
Campaigns and Farmers’ Movements in 1996
According to Communist leaders, an extensive campaign for the Veligonda Project was conducted in January 1996 across 125 villages in the Markapur and Kanigiri regions.
Activists distributed pamphlets and created awareness among people about the need for the project. The campaign was followed by a major farmers’ conference held in Markapur on February 25 under the leadership of the farmers’ organisation.
Around 4,000 people reportedly attended the conference. Leaders and activists from both the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) also participated in the programme.
Foundation Stone Laid After Public Pressure
Communist leaders claim that the strong public response to the movement contributed to the foundation stone being laid at Gottipadu on March 15, 1996, by then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
They argue that the foundation stone ceremony should be viewed in the broader context of the sustained public movement that preceded it, rather than as an isolated political initiative.
Chandrababu’s Later Remarks Spark Questions
The Communist leaders also recalled a statement allegedly made by Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to Kanigiri after the parliamentary elections held later in 1996.
According to them, Naidu had then stated that construction of the Veligonda Project was not feasible.
They are now questioning why only the 1996 foundation stone ceremony is being highlighted while the subsequent developments and statements regarding the project are being left out.
Their argument is that claiming complete credit for the project based solely on the foundation stone does not reflect the entire history of the Veligonda movement.
Agitation Intensified After 1996
Following the alleged statement that the project was not feasible, farmers’ organisations intensified their agitation for Veligonda, Communist leaders said.
They stated that sustained protests and public pressure continued for several years, keeping the demand for the project alive.
According to them, the movement played a significant role in maintaining public and political pressure for the implementation of the project.
Construction Work Began During YSR’s Tenure
The Communist leaders contend that actual construction activity on the Veligonda Project began only after Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy assumed office as Chief Minister in October 2004.
They said that several pending gaps in areas including Gottipadu, Sunkesula and Kakarlawere taken up and completed during the subsequent phase of the project.
They also highlighted the construction of the twin tunnels, stating that work progressed rapidly during the YSR administration.
A Larger Debate Over Credit
The latest controversy has therefore brought the history of the Veligonda Project back into the political spotlight.
While the 1996 foundation stone laid by Chandrababu Naidu remains an important event in the project’s history, Communist leaders argue that the decades-long struggle by farmers and activists, along with the construction-related decisions taken during Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure, cannot be ignored.
The central question now being raised is whether it is appropriate to claim political credit for the entire Veligonda Project solely on the basis of the foundation stone, while overlooking the prolonged public movement and the subsequent governments’ role in taking the project forward.
