Bhatti cancels SCCL’s mining tender after claims of his involvement

Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Sunday, January 18, announced that he has directed Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) to cancel the mining tender for the Naini coal block, following allegations of his involvement in the tender process.

He told a news conference that he has instructed SCCL to go for fresh tenders as per the conditions laid down by the Centre for public sector undertakings. He said the company management asked him how they could be blamed when they had just called the tender, and no one had participated.

Reacting strongly to allegations against him, he said that he was not afraid of ‘fabricated stories’. He said he did not enter politics to create assets or expand business empires and claimed that his aim is to protect the State’s assets and soul and pass them on to future generations.

The Deputy Chief Minister, who handles the portfolios of Energy and Finance, refuted the report carried by a Telugu television channel and a newspaper and alleged that a ‘concocted’ story was published to mislead the people of Telangana.

He reacted strongly to the report that he allegedly played a role in awarding the contract for the Naini coal block to certain companies.

The senior Congress leader claimed that he entered politics with the sole aim to distribute assets and resources to all sections of society. He alleged political motives behind the ‘concocted’ story.

He remarked that some people may be targeting him out of their anger towards former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, as he was a friend of the late leader. The Dy CM clarified that Singareni decides the rules for tenders and not the minister.

“They lack even this basic knowledge, but they spun fabricated stories and wrote articles against me to mislead the people of Telangana,” he said. Vikramarka said no one has the right to indulge in character assassination of anyone by carrying such stories.

He also alleged that these stories were being aired to create differences among leaders.

Singareni, a State and Central government public sector company, commenced production in the Naini coal block in Odisha in April last year. The mine was allotted to it nearly a decade ago by the Ministry of Coal.