Singareni Coal Block tenders: Five major contractors operating are relatives or close associates of TRS leaders, says Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka

Hyderabad: As the Naini coal block tenders episode has been generating enough heat in Telangana politics, state deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had on Saturday morning, said that neither tenders nor tender-related files of Singareni come to him or to the State Government and there is no scope for political interference.

“Singareni Collieries Company has an independent Board with senior officers, functioning in an autonomous manner, which takes decisions transparently as per established rules and procedures. Neither tenders nor tender-related files of Singareni come to him or to the State Government. There is no scope for political interference,” Vikramarka told reporters.

Referring specifically to the Naini coal block contract, he said certain media reports falsely alleged that making site inspection mandatory before bidding was a new condition introduced by him, and that such a rule does not exist anywhere else in the country.

He criticised these claims as fabricated stories created to falsely suggest that contracts were tailored for Bhatti Vikramarka’s associates.

He categorically stated that mandatory site visits are not unique to Singareni, nor were they introduced during their tenure.

He presented documentary evidence to the media showing that this condition existed in 2018, 2021, and 2023 in Singareni tender documents prepared by CMPDIL, a subsidiary of Coal India, and is also followed by NMDC, IITs, IIMs, finance and defence departments, Gujarat PSUs, and several other organizations across the country.

He explained that CMPDIL clearly mandated site inspection in the tender norms recommended to Singareni, and accordingly Singareni has been following this rule since 2018.

The claim that this rule was newly introduced after the Congress government came to power is entirely false, he said, reiterating that it is a nationwide standard practice.

He also rejected allegations by BRS leader Harish Rao that handing over diesel supply to contractors had opened doors to another scam.

He clarified that no changes were made during their tenure, and that this system was introduced in 2022 during the previous BRS government to address GST changes and prevent diesel theft.

He noted that this system is widely practiced in contracts across the state and the country.

Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka

Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka

He condemned the false propaganda claiming that Singareni tenders were being awarded to the Chief Minister’s brother-in-law.

He clarified that the company mentioned, Shodha Constructions Private Limited, is headed by MD Deepti Reddy, who is the daughter of former TRS MLA Kandala Upender Reddy, and that Sujan Reddy is her husband.

He further said that the five major contractors operating across Singareni are relatives or close associates of TRS leaders.

If Harish Rao or anyone else had doubts, they could have approached him for clarification, he said.

He reiterated that he is prepared for an investigation not only into the Naini block tender but into all tenders awarded since 2014. As the Chief Minister is currently on a foreign tour, he said he would personally request him upon return to order a probe, so that facts come out before the public.

“Singareni is the property of the people of Telangana. Smearing it with mud for personal or political gain causes irreparable damage to the state,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister emphasized that increasing coal production in Singareni is extremely critical. Due to the lack of sufficient development of new coal blocks over the past ten years, future production and revenue may decline, potentially endangering the livelihoods of thousands of families, he cautioned.

In the context of global shifts toward green energy, he stressed the urgency of acquiring and operationalizing quality coal blocks swiftly.

He also stated that the government is taking steps to diversify Singareni beyond coal into the critical minerals sector.

He appealed to all concerned not to spread false propaganda against Singareni for personal or political interests, and affirmed that the government, Singareni management, and workers are fully committed to safeguarding the institution’s future.