KTR Accuses Congress Government of Coal Import Scam, Demands Judicial Probe

BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) has accused the Congress government of conspiring to create a major scam by reducing coal production at Singareni Collieries and importing coal from foreign countries. He challenged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to order an inquiry by a sitting judge into alleged irregularities at Singareni, foreign coal purchases and power projects.

Addressing a Narsampet constituency party meeting at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, KTR demanded an impartial investigation rather than political exchanges through the media. He sought a probe into an alleged Rs. 10,000-crore transaction involving the Chief Minister’s relatives and solar power projects. He alleged that around Rs. 60,000 crore in dues remained pending with Singareni while the government questioned its production capacity.

KTR said Singareni coal cost approximately Rs. 3,800 per tonne, against Rs. 10,000–12,000 for imported coal. He alleged that proposed Australian coal purchases could benefit intermediaries through commissions. He also claimed that reduced domestic production had contributed to coal shortages at power plants.

Questioning electricity procurement decisions, KTR contrasted the previous BRS government's agreement with Chhattisgarh at Rs. 3.90 per unit with an alleged proposal to purchase electricity at Rs. 15 per unit. He criticised the Congress for previously accusing the BRS of irregularities in power purchases while considering costlier arrangements. He recalled that the BRS government supplied 24-hour electricity to support more than 30 lakh agricultural pump sets, irrigation projects and industries.

On drought conditions, KTR blamed poor water management and government inaction rather than El Niño alone. He alleged that Godavari and Krishna river waters had been released downstream without adequate utilisation despite advance warnings. He said the BRS had urged the government six months earlier to lift water from the Kannepalli pump house under the Kaleshwaram project. Delayed action, he claimed, had worsened crop damage and drinking and irrigation water shortages.

He also accused the government of failing to provide sufficient water to Palamuru while water was being diverted to projects in Andhra Pradesh. Effective use of the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy projects, he said, could have protected agriculture. He urged the government to support affected farmers.

KTR promised to adopt Narsampet and oversee development works envisioned by former MLA Peddi Sudarshan Reddy if the BRS returned to power. He assured the former legislator's family and party workers of support, called for unity against the Congress and urged cadres to campaign for BRS candidates in the graduate MLC elections. He added that people continued to remember the development and welfare programmes implemented under K. Chandrashekar Rao.