Deputy CM says his aim is to protect Telangana’s assets and resources, not personal gain; asserts Singareni followed Centre’s tender norms.
Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Sunday directed officials of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to cancel tenders for the Naini coal mines in Odisha, amid allegations that he was favouring a particular bidder.
Addressing a press conference at Praja Bhavan, Bhatti rejected reports alleging irregularities in the allocation of Singareni coal mine tenders. Referring to a media report, he said orders had been issued to SCCL officials to cancel the tenders. He maintained that the tender conditions were framed by the board and that there was no scope for personal interference in the process.
The Deputy Chief Minister accused a Telugu news outlet of attempting to tarnish his image and said a “cooked-up” report had been published to serve vested interests. He said tenders had been called, but no bidder had come forward, and despite that, he had instructed that the process be cancelled.
Bhatti alleged that the report stemmed from personal animosity on the part of the author owing to his association with former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. He warned the publisher that he would not remain silent if attempts were made to malign officials, ministers or the government through motivated reports.
He said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, along with other Cabinet ministers, was working in the larger interests of the state and said the Congress would not be intimidated by what he described as petty stories.
Bhatti said he would soon place complete evidence before the media to establish the facts. He added that he had not entered politics for personal wealth or business interests, and that his objective was to ensure Telangana’s resources benefited the people.
He also distanced himself from the ongoing SIT probe into alleged defamatory content against a serving female IAS officer, stating that attempts were being made to link him to the arrests of journalists and the formation of the SIT to malign his image.
