The Naini Coal Block in Odisha, controlled by the Telangana government’s Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), sits at the center of a storm that’s ripped through the Congress party and set it on a collision course with the opposition BRS. What started as a routine tender has turned into an all-out brawl—allegations of corruption, cabinet infighting, and demands for a CBI investigation are flying everywhere. It all traces back to the tender process for Naini. SCCL secured the block, but now its operations are up for grabs. With huge coal reserves and major profits on the line, everyone’s watching. Instead of a clean process, the tender has become a political battleground.
At first, there were just rumours—now it’s open warfare. Several Congress ministers in Telangana are under fire, with anonymous party insiders talking about deep divisions: some ministers are seen backing certain bidders, others are worried about transparency. This internal fight isn’t staying behind closed doors; it’s out in the open, giving the opposition plenty of ammunition.
Allegations Are Grave
The accusations aren’t minor. The talk is of massive kickbacks in return for fixing the tender. No one’s put forward solid proof, but the sheer volume and persistence of the claims cast a heavy shadow over the government. The BRS wasted no time, loudly echoing the corruption charges and insisting on a CBI probe. Meanwhile, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) looks stuck—dealing with chaos inside its own ranks and relentless attacks from outside. Officially, the party claims everything’s above board, but word is the leadership is scrambling to control the damage. Things got even messier when the Union Coal Department jumped in with its own investigation. The center’s involvement shows just how seriously people are treating these accusations, and more scrutiny seems inevitable.
Media Crossfire: NTV vs. ABN Andhrajyothi
What began as a fight over a coal contract has exploded into a media and political slugfest, where personal attacks and accusations of corruption at the highest levels of Telangana’s government are now daily fare. Two major Telugu media houses, NTV and ABN Andhrajyothi, have gone to war. In its column Kotha Paluku, ABN claimed the Naini tender became the trigger for a “media hit job.” They alleged that Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka and NTV’s management were backing a particular company for the prized Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) contract. Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, they said, pushed back, favouring a company linked to his brother, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, and Anil Reddy.
NTV struck back—or so ABN claims—by running a sensational story, full of innuendo, about Minister Komatireddy and a woman IAS officer. That sparked a complaint from the IAS Officers’ Association and led to the arrest of two NTV journalists.
BRS Locks on to the “Revanth Family”
The BRS, headed by K.T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao, has pounced on the Congress infighting, turning the spotlight on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s family—especially his brother-in-law, Srujan Reddy.
The “Site Visit” Tactic
According to the BRS, the government introduced a “site visit certificate” rule, supposedly to filter and intimidate bidders. Harish Rao accuses Srujan Reddy’s company, Shodha Constructions, of being first in line to benefit, landing contracts at rates 7–10% above estimates, while previous tenders usually went 10–20% below. The BRS says recent SIT notices sent to Harish Rao in the “phone-tapping case” are just a smokescreen to protect the CM’s relatives and distract from the coal scandal.
Revanth Reddy’s Reaction
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has jumped into damage control. He’s backing his cabinet and lashing out at the media. At a public meeting in Khammam, he pulled out a metaphor: when “two media bulls”—referring to NTV and ABN—lock horns, the “government crops” shouldn’t get trampled. He told media owners to keep their fights behind closed doors and stop dragging ministers into their rivalries. He dismissed the corruption allegations outright, insisting there’s “no scope for even one paisa of corruption.” Any attack on Bhatti Vikramarka and Komatireddy, he said, is an attack on his own leadership.
Tender Cancellation by Singareni
Trying to project transparency, the government ordered SCCL to scrap the controversial Naini tenders and issue fresh ones under central rules. The Naini Coal Block saga isn’t just another tender dispute. It’s a stress test for the Congress government in Telangana—putting their promises of clean governance under the spotlight and exposing rifts within their own ranks. The scandal gives the opposition plenty of ammunition. Calls for a CBI probe are getting louder, and the Union Coal Department’s investigation is moving forward. People in the state are watching, unsure if this mess can ever really be cleaned up. The controversy threatens to knock the government’s development plans off course and could reshape Telangana’s political landscape.
CBI Probe If Telangana Govt Consents
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, a key BJP figure from Telangana, has been relentless. He says the Centre will go for a CBI probe into the Naini coal tenders if the state government agrees. He’s pressing for swift action and a full investigation, stressing the need for transparency and accountability. His stance has only turned up the heat on the Congress government, pushing the scandal onto the national stage. Meanwhile, BRS Working President KTR has fired back at Kishan Reddy over the Singareni tenders, accusing the BJP and Congress of a quiet understanding behind the scenes.
