Hyderabad, Oct 30 The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) while campaigning for the bye-election to the Jubilee Hills Assembly seat.
The BRS alleged that the Chief Minister tried to influence the film workers by making promises during a meeting with them in the constituency.
A delegation of BRS leaders led by former minister and senior BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar submitted the complaint to Chief Electoral Officer Sudharshan Reddy. The opposition party demanded that the Chief Minister be removed as the star campaigner of the Congress for MCC violation and debar him from participating in any further campaign.
The party mentioned that the constituency comprises several thousand cine industry workers who form a significant part of the electorate.
The BRS leaders brought the notice of the Election Commission that during a so-called felicitation programme organised by the Association of Cine Workers on Tuesday, the Chief Minister made several promises and assurances which are barred under the MCC.
The BRS leaders stated that despite prior intimation and complaint by the party, the Election Commission failed to prevent the meeting and thus allowed a "blatant misuse of official position and state machinery".
The BRS demanded registration of a criminal case against CM Revanth Reddy for violation of the MCC and for committing electoral offences under relevant provisions of law.
They also lodged a separate complaint against Congress candidate Naveen Yadav for violating MCC and demanded that he be disqualified.
The BRS said during a public interaction on Wednesday, Naveen Yadav made "threatening, abusive and intimidating" statements against the leaders and workers of BRS. It said, "The Congress leaders publicly stated that opposition leaders will be crushed, driven away and taught a lesson."
The BRS demanded that Naveen Yadav be disqualified and debarred from contesting or campaigning in the by-election, and a FIR be registered against him.
It also urged the Election Commission to provide protection to BRS leaders and workers.
Meanwhile, BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao said that after two years in power, the Congress party was waking up to ground realities.
He was reacting to the Chief Minister's promises to cine workers and reports that former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin will be inducted in the state Cabinet.
"I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. After 2 years in Govt, it looks like the Congress party is finally waking up to ground realities, promising the moon to cine workers, inducting Azharuddin in the cabinet and ministers desperately running around in Hyderabad Gullies like never before," KTR posted on 'X' on Thursday.
"Let me reiterate, when the Congress is made to lose its deposit in Jubilee Hills by-election, only then will they start implementing the 6 guarantees and 420 promises made in 2023. Time to teach a lesson to Congress and its leadership," he added.
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