BJP slams KTR for remarks on Singareni auction

Hyderabad: State BJP leaders on Monday slammed Industries Minister KT Rama Rao for writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the proposed auction of Singareni mines. They alleged that the ruling party leaders were trying to incite emotions keeping in view the upcoming elections in the Singareni collieries.

Speaking to the media, BJP national SC morcha secretary S Kumar, along with State party general secretary Prakash Reddy, alleged that the Singareni collieries issue was also raised by the TRS leaders to divert the attention of people from the recent controversial statements of the CM on the issue of re-drafting the Constitution.

He claimed that the CM, who had promised to not allow even a single open cast mine in Singareni had opened 17 open cast mines. Kumar alleged that the ruling party leaders were turning the SCCL bankrupt. He asked the TRS leaders if it was not true that they forced the company to borrow money from banks to pay salaries of employees? He also asked the TRS leaders if they had not reduced the number of employees from 62,000 to 22,000 after the State formation? He said it was 'shameful' that the CM was targeting the BJP for political gains.

They alleged that the ruling party had handed over the contract related to Tadicharla coal mine to a private person by violating the Mines Act. Kumar said auction of coal mines was nationwide process. Telangana had won the rights to mine nine blocks in Odisha as part of the same process.

The BJP leaders claimed that the Centre had decided to auction four mine blocks as part of the process.