The BJP has charged the TRS government of misusing the official machinery, resorting to distribution of money and liquor in the polls held for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and making a ‘complete mockery of democracy’.
“The TRS bigwigs claimed that their schemes and performance will fetch them votes but the manner in which the party went about with its intimidation tactics in several places, making use of the police, especially targeting our party candidates, exposed their hollow claims,” charged party president K. Laxman.
Addressing a press meet, he claimed at several places the TRS party activists resorted to large scale irregularities, “raided” Opposition candidates, and more so the BJP candidates, with the police refusing to register any case or take action. It was more blatant at Ramagundam where former MLA S. Satyanarayana had to hold a protest outside the police station demanding action.
“The TRS bragged we are not even in the fray, then why were they so desperate to threaten our party candidates? They first deleted the voters names arbitrarily and then resorted to bogus voting in many municipalities. It was evident at Nizamabad where 10 women were held by the police,” he said.
Nevertheless, the BJP, which is contesting the ULBs independently for the first time - in 2,070 wards and supporting 200 independents in municipalities and 344 divisions with extending support to 20 independents in municipal corporations - will spring a surprise as it was the main opponent to the ruling party, he observed.
Mr. Laxman welcomed the introduction of the facial recognition app introduced by the State Election Commission (SEC) and demanded it be made mandatory in all future elections to control the bogus voting.
“It is not at all surprising that the Majlis are objecting to it because they depend a lot on bogus voting,” he said. However, the party president found fault with the SEC for not directing the IT/ITES firms to give a holiday to employees to enable them to vote.
