The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): C.M. Ramesh, a BJP Rajya Sabha member representing Andhra Pradesh, saw his company secure electoral bonds worth ₹45 crore shortly after it was granted the contract for the Sunni hydroelectric project in Himachal Pradesh. This significant purchase occurred in the lead-up to several state Assembly elections. Initially, Rithwik Projects Private Limited (RPPL), founded on March 31, 1999, in Hyderabad, bought bonds valued at ₹5 crore just after receiving the ₹1,098-crore Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) agreement. This first procurement was done around the time of elections in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, followed by a second acquisition of ₹40 crore in bonds ahead of the Karnataka elections.
The Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project, with a budget approval of ₹2,614 crore from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on January 4, 2023, was assigned to RPPL six days post another of its projects, the Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro-electric Project in Uttarakhand, encountered issues due to infrastructure failures affecting nearby Josimath. RPPL has been involved in extensive construction and infrastructure endeavors across India, including hydropower and solar projects, tunnels, and bridges, to name a few.
The construction of the Sunni Dam, a project based on the Sutlej River crossing Shimla and Mandi districts, has faced resistance from local communities. They have raised concerns over inadequate land compensation, non-compliance with the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, excessive debris dispersion from the construction site, and insufficient employment opportunities for local residents. These grievances have prompted widespread protests, with participants threatening to escalate their actions if their demands remain unaddressed.
C.M. Ramesh, currently in his second term as a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, has expressed intentions to contest in the Lok Sabha elections from Visakhapatnam. His transition to BJP in 2019 followed a tenure with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and a close association with former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. His firm’s history of securing key state projects has been marred by allegations of financial irregularities, including a dismissed petition for a CBI inquiry into the company’s rapid financial growth and reported raids by the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate on allegations of financial misconduct.
