KCR says Congress gave Centre Singareni stake

KHAMMAM: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday held the Congress responsible for the Central government acquiring a 49 per cent share in Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), alleging that its failure to repay loans led to the acquisition.

Rao said that in 40 years of its rule in erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, the Congress failed and that the new generation “should know the history of Singareni”.

Alleging that TPCC leaders were helpless as their “switches are in the hands of Delhi leaders”, he said that people of Telangana should “not become gulams” to Delhi leaders.

Speaking at public meetings in Khammam and Kothagudem on the day, Rao said that the 49 per cent share in SCCL caused a huge loss to the state. He apprised the public about its 134-year history, saying SCCL was a 100 per cent asset of Telangana that was established in the Nizam period.

Reeling out BRS’ welfare measures for SCCL and its workers over the past nine years, he said that the company was in the doldrums during the Congress regime.

“BRS government created 19,463 jobs in SCCL in the past nine years, against 6,400 jobs before,” Rao said, highlighting Rs 10 lakh interest-free housing loans and issuance of 22,000 pattas as per GO 76 for houses constructed on SCCL land.

He said the BRS government restored the dependent jobs, which were cancelled due to the trade unions of Congress and Left parties.

Touching on power supply, Chandrashekar Rao said it was ironic that previously, residents of Kothagudem, where power is produced, used to face cuts. He said that turnover increased to Rs 33,000 from Rs 11,000 crore and profits to Rs 2,184 crore from Rs 419 crore. The bonus, which was earlier Rs 40 crore, stood at Rs 700 crore for Dasara of this year, he said.

Rao said there would be a bright future only under the rule of regional parties as only they can safeguard the interests of the state and work for the welfare of its people.

He appealed to people to vote for Ajay Khan, warning against voting for “Thummala (spikes)” and instead opting for “Ajay flowers (Puvvada)”, claiming that his name ‘Ajay Khan’ showed his attachment and love towards the Muslims.

He said Khammam district would prosper with agriculture once the Seetharama irrigation projects are completed. He said there would be no drought, recalling that pattas were also issued to podu lands.  

“BRS government brought many changes in the health and education fields, giving KCR Kits, nutritional kits, improved institutional deliveries and bringing down exploitation by private hospitals,” Rao said.

He said the BRS government was an employee-friendly government, claiming there was not a single instance of employees staging black badge protests in the state.

Rao targeted Tummala Nageswara Rao and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, dismissing Nageswara Rao’s claim that he was the one to give Chandrashekar Rao his first ministry. He criticised Srinivas Reddy for saying no BRS MLA would go to the Assembly from Khammam and asked what Srinivas Reddy had done for the people of Khammam.

Rao praised Minister Puvvada Ajay for developing Khammam city and district “with his mission, supported by the state government vision”.

At the Kothagudem meeting, some youths made a racket, but an irritated Rao pulled them up and asked them not to disturb the meeting. Kothagudem candidate Vanama Venkateswara Rao and BRS MP Nama Nageshwar Rao, among others, were present.