Modi’s Ramagundam visit was a strategic move ahead of SCCL elections

PEDDAPALLI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the coal belt is presumably a strategic move to strengthen the BJP in north Telangana, especially the coal belt areas spread across the erstwhile Karimnagar, Adilabad, Khammam, and Warangal districts, especially ahead of elections to the recognised trade union in the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) likely to be held by December.

It is generally believed that the SCCL union elections has an impact on 24 Assembly constituencies in the region.

Modi formally dedicated the RFCL to the nation and announced widening of three roads in different places in Telangana at a meeting organised at the NTPC here on Saturday, besides dedicating rail projects to the nation. His visit to Ramagundam came as something of a surprise.

The coal belt area was once a stronghold of Maoists who enjoyed the support of some SCCL workers. Its frontal organisation ‘Sikasa’ led popular strikes for the rights of the workers.

Gaddam Vivek, who won the Peddapalli seat on a Congress ticket is now planning to contest on a BJP ticket, had made serious efforts for the revival of the FCI, which eventually the BJP government at the Centre did in 2014 by changing its name to Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemical Limited (RFCL).

There were strong allegations that some local TRS MLAs and leaders collected huge bribes from unemployed youth by promising jobs on a contract basis in RFCL. Two unemployed youth committed suicide when they did not get any jobs in spite of paying lakhs to them. Maoists issued warnings to some ruling party leaders for cheating unemployed youth.

Meanwhile, the AITUC, affiliated to the CPI, which has a strong hold among Singareni workers, is in a dilemma as CPI had an alliance with TRS in Munugode.

However, the influence of AITUC has started weakening with the entry of the Boggugani Karmika Sangam (TBGKS), an affiliate of TRS. It has been elected as a recognised trade union in Singareni twice.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Gaddam Vivek said that Modi’s clarification that the Centre had no plans to privatise the four coal blocks of the SCCL would have a positive impact on the union elections.

The BJP leader said that Left unions like the AITUC must think twice before an electoral pact with the TBGKS.

Vivek said that the SCCL employed nearly 62,000 workers when Telangana was created and their numbers had come down to 42,000. He held Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao responsible for retrenchment of 20,000 employees.