ECI bars KCR from poll campaign for 48 hours

The 48-hour ban of the Telangana former chief minister comes into force at 8 pm on Wednesday.

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India on Wednesday barred former Chief Minister and BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao from campaigning for 48 hours, starting 8 pm on Wednesday for making “derogatory and objectionable statements” against the Congress.

He was on the way from Kothagudem to Mahabubabad to participate in a roadshow when the ECI orders were released, and wound up his meeting before 8 pm complying with the orders.

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The ECI it was exercising its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution and barring Chandrashekhar Rao from “holding any public meetings, processions, rallies, shows and interviews, public utterances in the media in connection with the ongoing elections for 48 hours from 8 pm on May 1.”

Earlier, the Commission had issued a notice to Chandrashekhar Rao acting on the complaint of TPCC senior vice-president G Niranjan for making “derogatory and objectionable statements” against the Congress during a press conference held at Sircilla on April 5. Besides seeking a report from officials here, the Commission issued had the notice to the BRS president for his explanation.

The former Chief Minister had replied that he had confined his criticism to the policies and programmes of the Congress party in the State and their failure to fulfill the promises made during the Assembly elections, and did not criticise personal aspects of any Congress leaders.

Further, he informed that the officers in-charge of elections in Telangana and Sircilla were not Telugu people, and they hardly understand the local dialects of Telugu.

“The complaint is made by the Congress party by picking some sentences from the press conference out of context. The English translation of the sentences is not correct and is twisted,” he said in the reply.

Interestingly, though the Congress complaint was on the April 5 press conference, the Commission cited previous instances which it considered Chandrashekhar Rao as violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during election campaigns at Karimnagar in May 2019, and Banswada in October 2023.

Reacting to the EC orders, BRS working president KT Rama Rao questioned the “anarchy banning the voice of Telangana, K Chandrashekhar Rao”.

He questioned the selective action of the Election Commission. “Zero action of the EC against Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite thousands of citizens’ complaints over his hate speech and no action against the foul mouthed Cheap Minister of Telangana Revanth.

What is it, but not a conspiracy by Bade Bhai and Chote Bhai. Why are BJP and Congress so shaken by #KCRPoruBaata? People of Telangana will give a befitting answer to your arrogance & institutional abuse, (sic)” he posted on X.