No issue in Andhra Pradesh politics carries more emotional weight than Polavaram. The Godavari-fed irrigation and drinking water project, described as Andhra’s lifeline, was a perpetual source of political promises and administrative failure for decades.
Under Jagan Mohan Reddy, Polavaram received renewed attention and measurable progress. The YSRCP government pursued the project’s completion aggressively, with Jagan repeatedly raising the issue at the national level and pushing for faster Central funding disbursement.
But beyond Polavaram, the Jagan government’s water politics were notable for prioritising Rayalaseema — the historically water-deficit region of the state. The Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project was pushed forward with urgency, and Krishna water allocations for Rayalaseema were a recurring agenda item in KWDT negotiations.
This regional equity focus distinguished the YSRCP approach from the previous TDP era, which critics accused of concentrating development in coastal Andhra while neglecting the arid districts.
As climate change intensifies water stress across the Deccan, Jagan’s record on irrigation infrastructure is likely to remain a major factor in how voters in Rayalaseema and north Andhra evaluate their options in the coming election cycle.