The demolition of houses is not a solution, and the easiest way for the government is to construct retaining walls along the Musi, he told reporters here. Alleging that the ruling government in Telangana is planning to demolish houses built along the Musi river banks here as part of its plan to rejuvenate the river, the BJP on Saturday undertook a campaign in which several party leaders stayed for the night in such houses in solidarity with the residents.

Kishan Reddy, who stayed overnight in a house at Tulasi Ram Nagar, reiterated that the BJP is not against rejuvenation of the highly-polluted river but opposes demolition of houses of the poor. He said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy should ensure irrigation and drinking water for Nalgonda district.

“Even if you (Revanth Reddy) want to become chief minister again, you would not. You would be (the chief minister) for this term only. That too only if your party people support you. Hence, I request you to give water from the Musi river to Nalgonda district in this term,” Reddy said.

The union minister further demanded Revanth Reddy to take out padayatra and meet the people staying along Musi surroundings and with their permission, take up the project. In a post on ‘X’, the BJP leader said, “Clean the Musi, but don’t destroy the homes of the poor!” He said during his interaction with the local residents he made it clear that no bulldozer can take away the homes of the poor, and added that the BJP will stand like a rock to safeguard their interests. “Congress govt’s so-called beautification plan is nothing but a cover for destroying poor families’ homes and benefiting real estate developers. The Musi beautification project has turned into a ticking time bomb for families in the Musi Zone, leaving them anxious and fearful of losing their homes,” Reddy said in the post.

He said the BJP is ready to offer constructive suggestions and cooperate fully for the rejuvenation of the Musi River, ensuring the farmers in Nalgonda get water without sacrificing the homes of the poor. Reacting on the BJP’s campaign, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Sunday alleged that Kishan Reddy took part in the campaign for 12 hours which is nothing but a “photo shoot” programme.

“If he (Kishan Reddy) spends three months there, then he would understand the issues,” Goud said. The TPCC chief further alleged that the BJP took up the campaign only to divert the issue in the wake of allegations against BRS working president K T Rama Rao (in connection with the incident of attack on government officials in Vikarabad district recently).