Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday pointed fingers at BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, accusing him of remaining quiet when former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy diverted water from Krishna River for Rayalaseema.

Reddy made the accusation against Rao, popularly known as KCR, a day after the BRS accused the N Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh of “stealing” water from the Krishna river while Reddy and state Irrigation Minister N Uttam Reddy watched helplessly. A water war is brewing between the two states with Telangana accusing Andhra Pradesh of drawing more water than its share and even approaching the Krishna River Management Board with its complaint.

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Addressing a public meeting at Narayanpet, the Chief Minister accused Rao of committing sins which has put Telangana at the receiving end. He even said KCR’s family received kickbacks in exchange of diverting water to Rayalaseema through the Pothireddypadu head regulator for the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project. “Is it not KCR who maintained silence when Jagan Mohan Reddy diverted Krishna water to Rayalaseema?” asked Reddy.

On Thursday, BRS leader and former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao accused Revanth Reddy of keeping quiet on the water issue to “pay his dues” to Chandrababu Naidu who was his mentor in TDP. The BRS alleged that AP was diverting excess water through the Nagarjunasagar right canal and even the BJP central ministers were doing little to protect the interests of Telangana.

Revanth Reddy also questioned why KCR never completed the Palamuru irrigation project despite being the Chief Minister for ten years. The BRS had been needling him constantly over the project, particularly since he hails from this arid district. The area has been known for migration due to the severe water crisis, both for irrigation and drinking water. Reddy said justice was not delivered to the district even after Telangana’s formation. He accused KCR of not allowing the Maktal-Narayanpet-Kodangal irrigation project out of spite since he hails from this region.

Accusing the Opposition parties of criticising the Congress government unnecessarily, he challenged the BRS and the BJP leaders to debate on ten years of Narendra Modi’s rule at the Centre, KCR’s decade-long rule over Telangana, and 12 months of his administration. While the local BJP MP, DK Aruna, on Friday handed over a memorandum for the projects in her constituency Mahbubnagar to the Chief Minister, he was quick to seek her assistance to secure funds from the Centre.