Telangana Municipal Polls Announced Amid Corruption Row
The Telangana State Election Commission has officially triggered the countdown for the urban local body polls. The commission released the schedule for elections to 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations. Polling is set to take place in a single phase on February 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 13. This election is widely viewed as the first major urban test for the Congress government, with over 52 lakh voters eligible to participate across the state.
While the election schedule dominated headlines, a massive political storm erupted over the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). A high-level delegation from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by K.T. Rama Rao, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum alleging large-scale financial irregularities. The BRS has claimed a scam in the tendering process for overburden removal and solar power projects, demanding an independent probe by the CBI or a sitting judge into the state-run mining giant’s operations.
In response to these allegations, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, currently attending a leadership programme at Harvard University, issued a strong rebuttal through official channels. He stated that there is “no place for corruption” in his government and dismissed the accusations as baseless attempts to divert public attention. Meanwhile, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy also weighed in, blaming both Congress and BRS for the economic crisis at Singareni, asserting that the state government owes the company nearly ₹47,000 crore in dues.
The day also saw significant movement within the opposition ranks as former MLA Aroori Ramesh resigned from the BJP. His exit is seen as a major blow to the saffron party in the Warangal region, with reports suggesting he is prepared to return to the BRS. Additionally, the phone-tapping investigation remains active, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) summoning former MP Joginapally Santosh Kumar for questioning on Tuesday, further intensifying the political friction between the ruling and opposition parties.
