Jubilee Hills bypoll: TPCC accuses BRS MLAs Kaushik Reddy, Sudheer Reddy of threatening voters at booths
The letters, all dated November 11, were submitted by P Rajesh Kumar, Chairman of the TPCC Election Commission Co-ordination Committee
By - Sistla Dakshina Murthy
Hyderabad: The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has lodged multiple urgent complaints with the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana, alleging serious violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party during the ongoing Jubilee Hills Assembly Constituency bye-election.
The letters, all dated November 11, were submitted by P Rajesh Kumar, Chairman of the TPCC Election Commission Co-ordination Committee.
‘BRS MLAs creating havoc at polling booths’
Two separate letters specifically name BRS MLAs Padi Kaushik Reddy and D Sudheer Reddy, along with BRS corporators and other party leaders, as creating ‘havoc in all the polling booths’ and disrupting the level playing field by intimidating and influencing local voters.
The key allegations include:
Non-resident campaigning: It is alleged that both Padi Kaushik Reddy and D Sudheer Reddy, who are reportedly not residents or voters of Jubilee Hills, are roaming freely, campaigning and influencing voters.
Sudheer Reddy is specifically accused of operating in polling booth numbers 110 to 120 in Habeeb Fatima Nagar, Swaraj Nagar in the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency.
Intimidation and threats: The complaints state that BRS leaders are involved in ‘malpractices’ to influence the voters and are threatening the voters to vote in favour of the BRS, describing this behaviour as ‘disturbing the free and fair elections.’
MCC violations: The TPCC asserts that these activities 'will definitely attract the Model Code of Conduct of the Election Commission of India for threatening the voters and demanding to vote in favour of them.’
Misuse of news agencies
The third complaint brings to light the alleged misuse of news agencies as campaign tools for the BRS.
Campaigning as agents: The letter claims that reporters from news agencies T News and Namaste Telangana, which are owned by the BRS party, are actively ‘acting and campaigning as agents of the BRS party’ at the 61-Jubilee Hills Assembly Constituency, further ‘disturbing ongoing free and fair elections.’
Immediate action: The TPCC has requested immediate action from the Chief Electoral Officer on all counts to ensure a democratic and fair election process.
The demands include:
Restriction on BRS leaders: Immediately restricting Padi Kaushik Reddy, D Sudheer Reddy and all non-Jubilee Hills BRS leaders from entering or campaigning in the Jubilee Hills area.
Increased security: Deploying police personnel at key entry points to Jubilee Hills to enforce the restrictions.
Local police monitoring: Directing local police to monitor and report violations, and penalise non-compliant leaders under the MCC and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA, 1951).
Action against BRS: Informing the BRS party to ensure compliance and warning of disqualification/cancellation of party privileges if violations persist.
Voter protection: Ensuring local voters are not intimidated and protecting the integrity of the bye-election.
The TPCC Election Commission co-ordination committee chairman, P Rajesh Kumar, requested the Election Commission to take immediate action against the named individuals and others for their ‘untoward behaviour in a democratic setup.’
