KTR seeks SEC intervention over attacks and false votes in civic elections

BRS working president KT Rama Rao condemned alleged attacks and irregularities during municipal chairperson elections in Telangana. He sought intervention from the State Election Commission and demanded action against officials allegedly favouring the ruling Congress.

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao strongly condemned the alleged kidnappings and physical assaults on BRS elected representatives and leaders by the ruling Congress during the ongoing municipal chairperson and vice-chairperson elections across Telangana. He also demanded that the DGP immediately initiate action against officers who were allegedly acting in favour of the ruling party.

He also sought the urgent intervention of the State Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections. He wanted a thorough probe into the reported irregularities and action against officials who postponed elections under pressure.

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Calling the developments a stain on democracy, Rama Rao accused the Congress leaders of resorting to illegal and anarchic methods to capture urban local bodies. He said Congress MPs, MLAs and MLCs were registering themselves in the name of ex-officio members fraudulently to tilt the balance in closely contested municipalities. He accused them of directly getting involved in alleged attacks and kidnap attempts on BRS elected councillors to influence the election outcome.

“It is deplorable that the government and police forces, which are duty-bound to uphold the people’s mandate, are behaving like partisan actors and working in favour of the ruling party,” he said. He condemned the alleged attacks by the Congress leaders on former BRS Ministers, MLAs, senior leaders and party activists in several towns, despite the presence of the police.

Rama Rao specifically cited incidents in Thorrur, Jangaon, Kyathanpalli and Kagaznagar, charging that the police either remained mute spectators or acted under political pressure to benefit the Congress. He pointed out that in some places, BRS elected representatives were obstructed from attending proceedings, while in others, elections were postponed despite quorum being present.

Pointing to the deterioration of law and order, he said the use of threats, coercion and forced defections reflected a goondaraj in the State. He warned that such tactics would not deter the BRS and asserted that the people of Telangana would deliver a befitting lesson to the Congress in the days ahead.