Anantapur: Leaders of various opposition parties of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday demanded the early completion of Handri-Niva canal works before the next crop season.

A team of leaders of various opposition parties including YSR Congress Party, farmers division of Congress party and farmers' representatives visited the Handri-Niva project's Madakasira canal construction area in NGB Nagar to observe the ongoing works. The team also examined the works at Handri-Niva branch canal and pump house.

After the visit, YSRCP MLC Vennapusa Gopal Reddy, party's Hindupur parliamentary constituency president M. Shankaranarayana, farmers' division in-charge Sharat Chandra Reddy, district president Rajaram, Kadalika editor Imam and Congress party farmers' division president Ramana spoke to the media.

The leaders said while Krishna waters can be diverted to Peruru dam through Handri-Niva canal without any additional expenditure, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, district ministers Kalva Srinivasulu and Paritala Sunitha are trying to siphon off Rs 1,020 crore in the name of contracts. They said opposition parties will resist the government's sinister plans to embezzle public money in the name of project construction.

Though the late chief minister Dr. YS Rajasekhar Reddy brought Krishna waters to Anantapur district, Chandrababu Naidu is shamelessly claiming the credit, they said. Because of the government's failure to provide irrigation to crops, thousands of farmers are migrating to Karnataka and Kerala, they said adding that the party will unite farmers to fight against TDP government's utter inefficiency and fraudulent policies.