HYDERABAD: Reacting to Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s statements on the cancellation of the Naini coal tender and issues related to Singareni, former minister T Harish Rao on Saturday said that the scrapping of the tender itself pointed to irregularities.
He demanded to know if no wrongdoing had occurred, why the tender was withdrawn and why similar action was not taken for other tenders. “If the Naini tender is cancelled, doesn’t it mean a scam took place?” Harish asked.
He accused Vikramarka of attempting to divert attention instead of stating clearly that there was no corruption in the coal tender process. Accusing the government of shielding those involved, he stated that selective cancellation raised questions.
He also alleged that the episode was intended to benefit Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s brother-in-law, whom he described as an intermediary in the alleged irregularities.
The BRS deputy floor leader also questioned why the deputy chief minister did not address what he termed the “solar power scam” in Singareni that he had raised earlier. “If the Naini tender was cancelled due to site visit certification issues, why were other tenders not cancelled on the same grounds?” he asked.
Rejecting the government’s argument that the site visit certificate condition existed since 2018 and was followed by Union agencies, Harish said this did not address the core issue.
“If the condition was not wrong, why was the Naini tender cancelled? And if the same procedure was followed in Singareni, doesn’t the cancellation indicate a scam?” he asked.
Harish said he had personal regard for Vikramarka and had earlier written to him seeking a probe into allegations involving the chief minister by either a sitting judge or a Union agency such as the CBI.
He said he would submit a formal complaint if assured of an impartial probe into the alleged role of Revanth and his brother-in-law.