As the coal row heats up, scrutiny shifts from the present government to tender decisions taken during the BRS regime at Singareni.
What started as a political attack meant to stain Chief Minister Revanth Reddy with coal scam allegations has taken an unexpected turn. Instead of tightening the noose around the Congress government, the controversy is now circling back to the BRS itself, dragging a decade of Singareni contracts, tenders, and decisions into the spotlight.
In Telangana’s charged political atmosphere, the coal narrative was expected to put the ruling party on the defensive. But as details began to surface, the story flipped. The more the allegations were pushed, the more uncomfortable questions began to rise about what really happened during the BRS years at Singareni Collieries.
Coal Allegations and the Phone Tapping Shadow
BRS leaders Harish Rao and K. T. Rama Rao accused the Congress government of using the phone tapping SIT probe as a diversion tactic. According to them, the investigation was being weaponized to shift attention away from alleged coal-related irregularities involving people close to the Chief Minister.
Congress responded with a counter charge. Party leaders argued that the sudden noise around coal was aimed at diluting public discussion on the phone tapping case, an issue that continues to haunt the previous BRS regime. From that moment, the political fight moved beyond accusations and entered the territory of records and past decisions.
Naini Mine Brings Back Old Files
The controversy intensified around the Naini coal mine. The Congress government ordered an SIT probe and cancelled the tenders linked to the project, citing procedural issues. When the BRS demanded a CBI inquiry, the matter reached the Centre.
Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy stepped in and recommended a technical review. Acting swiftly, the Union Coal Ministry constituted a two member technical committee. While the immediate focus was on Naini, the scope soon widened.
Prakasham Khani entered the discussion. Plans to hand over the mine to private operators triggered fresh debate, ensuring that Naini was no longer an isolated case but part of a larger Singareni story.
Site Visit Rule and Familiar Beneficiaries
Much of the debate revolves around the site visit condition in Singareni tenders. Critics alleged that this rule was introduced to benefit select firms. However, emerging details suggest that during the BRS regime, the same rule helped companies linked to BRS leaders and their families secure major contracts.
From VKOC and Kalyan Khani to RGOC and SRP open cast projects, names of politically connected firms keep surfacing. In several cases, site visit certificates were issued widely, but the contracts eventually landed with companies linked to former ministers, MLAs, MLCs, or their relatives.
These revelations have weakened the argument that irregularities are limited to the present government.
Costly Contracts and Rising Questions
Attention has also turned to overburden removal works and coal handling projects. Between 2015 and 2023, several OB contracts were finalized at rates significantly higher than estimates. Some projects reportedly exceeded estimated values by more than 30 percent.
Even the claim that firms linked to Revanth Reddy’s relatives benefited begins to blur when records show that those contracts were awarded during the BRS tenure itself.
JVR Plant Trouble Adds to the Heat
The JVR coal handling plant at Sathupalli has added fuel to the controversy. Built at a cost of nearly four hundred crore rupees, the plant reportedly developed structural issues within a short period. Cracks in bunker beams and operational failures raised eyebrows, especially since the defect liability period was limited to just one year.
Congress leaders say they are collecting technical inputs and internal documents related to the project.
Old Patterns, Wider Net
Adding to the discomfort is the reference to a Naini mine proposal in Odisha, where a development and operation contract was once proposed at a sharply higher rate before being cancelled. Though that episode lies outside Telangana, it has revived questions about inflated estimates and tender practices in the coal sector.
With Coal India holding a significant stake in Singareni, and the Union Coal Ministry now actively involved, political circles believe the technical committee may not stop at one or two tenders.
Coal Blocks Under Scanner: Who Got the Tenders and What Are the Allegations
| Coal Block / Project | Company Awarded | Political Link Alleged | Nature of Allegation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VKOC-1 | Company linked to former BRS MLA’s family | Linked to a former BRS MLA | Site visit certificates issued to all bidders, but tender allegedly went to a politically connected firm |
| VKOC-2 | Same group as VKOC-1 | Same political family | Repeated award of contracts to the same political-linked entity |
| Kalyan Khani | Firm linked to Prathima Srinivas and Vinod Kumar families | BRS-associated families | Allegations of insider access and preferential treatment in tender process |
| RGOC-2 | C5 Company | Directors allegedly include relative of former BRS MLC | Conflict of interest allegations due to close political connections |
| SRP OC-2 | Harsha Constructions | Relatives of Harish Rao | Company also executed major irrigation works during BRS rule, raising favoritism concerns |
| PKOC-4 | Private contractor | No direct individual named | Contract finalized at about 35.57 percent higher than estimated value |
| MN Mine | Private contractor | No direct individual named | Awarded at significantly higher rates than initial estimates |
| JVR Coal Handling Plant | EPC contractor | Project approved during BRS tenure | Structural defects within a year, short defect liability period of one year |
| Naini Coal Block | Adani Enterprises (proposal) | None officially, political controversy only | Proposed at 44.82 percent above estimated cost, later cancelled |
Why This Table Matters
This snapshot explains why the coal controversy refuses to die down. While political blame games continue, the tenders listed above form the backbone of allegations now being debated at both state and central levels.
If investigations widen, these blocks and contracts are expected to remain at the center of scrutiny.
From Accusation to Self Examination
What was meant to politically corner Revanth Reddy has instead reopened unresolved chapters from the BRS era. As each allegation is answered, another file from the past seems to open.
Whether these issues lead to formal central investigations or remain political talking points is yet to be seen. But in trying to paint the Congress black with coal dust, the BRS now finds its own hands under scrutiny.
In Telangana politics, the coal story is no longer about who accused whom first. It is about who can answer what happened when they were in power.
