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

RAMAGUNDAM (PEDDAPALLI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the coal belt is presumably a strategic move to strengthen the BJP base in north Telangana, especially coal belt areas spread across the erstwhile Karimnagar, Adilabad, Khammam, and Warangal districts with elections to the recognized trade union in the SCCL likely to be held latest by December.

Modi formally dedicated the RFCL to the nation and announced widening of three roads in different places in Telangana at a meeting organized at the NTPC here on Saturday.

Modi’s visit to Ramgundam has assumed importance in the changing political situation in Telangana. Even locals have expressed surprise at Modi coming to their area without any hype. It is generally believed that results of the SCCL trade union elections will have an impact on 24 Assembly constituencies in the erstwhile Adilabad district.

Gaddam Vivek, who won the Peddapalli seat on a Congress ticket, is now planning to contest on a BJP ticket.

The coal belt area was once a stronghold of Maoists and enjoyed the support of workers and its frontal organization ‘Sikasa’ which led to popular strikes for the rights of the workers in the SCCL.

It may be recalled that Vivek 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 gullible unemployed youth.

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

AITUC state secretary Vasireddy Seetharamaiah is reported to have said that the alliance was just confined to mainstream elections and not related to trade union elections and added that AITUC will contest in the SCCL elections.

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

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Gaddam Vivek said that Modi while addressing Singareni workers refuted rumours that BJP had plans to privatize the four coal blocks of SCCL. His clarity on the issue will certainly have a positive impact on the union elections, he said.

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

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