Did CMO orders spark Jupally-excise official’s rift?

Have the orders issued by the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) resulted in the rift between Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao and Principal Secretary to Excise Department Syed Murthuza Ali Rizvi, who announced voluntary retirement three days back? This is being debated in hushed tones in the corridors of power.

It is learnt that the CMO remained silent on the Minister’s repeated instructions to call for fresh tenders for supply of high security holograms for liquor bottles and instructed the Excise Secretary to only adhere to the orders originating from the CM’s office. But Jupally reportedly wanted the Principal Secretary to carry out his orders only, not that of the CMO. Krishna Rao has repeatedly told the Excise official to stop the private agency that has been supplying holograms on nomination basis since 2019. He insisted on calling for fresh tenders. The official declined the minister’s orders and updated the CMO about the supply of holograms on a regular basis.

“The excise minister has been writing letters to the officials since August 2024 and has been entrusted with the task of referring the agency to the expert committee. The Principal Secretary without complying with the Minister’s orders moved the file proposing to circulate it to the Chief Minister’s Office on the plea that the expert committee was composed of All India Services officers”, officials said.

The Minister on September 10 sent a letter that 23 companies have expressed their interest, and the chairman of the expert committee Rizvi has not taken any action on the said 23 EoIs (Expression of Interest).

The enraged Minister wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary seeking action against the Principal Secretary and stopping his voluntary retirement plea. Officials said that Krishna Rao also brought to the attention of the CMO about the developments taking place in calling tenders for procurement of holograms. However, the CMO remained silent, it is said. The Minister lost his cool and stopped inviting the Principal Secretary to meetings held by him on excise issues.