Ahead of Telangana assembly elections 2023, the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate on Thursday raided the residences and offices of Congress candidate Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy in Hyderabad and Khammam. Reddy is the Congress candidate from Palair constituency in Khammam district.The search has been going on at his residence in Khammam since 3 am. Telangana, which has 119 assembly constituencies, will vote on November 30. Counting of votes will take place on December 3.
Media reports suggested that Reddy was scheduled to file his nomination papers today.Supporters of Reddy gathered outside his residence to protest the raids and chanted slogans protesting the searches in Khammam. Earlier on Wednesday, the Congress candidate said that the Central agencies such as the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate may conduct raids. According to news agency PTI, Reddy alleged that during the past several days, the Central agencies were focusing their 'searches' on Congress leaders. The ruling BRS government in Telangana and BJP colluded in the "attacks" on Congress party leaders, he further alleged. "I request all my followers not to resort to any activity as they (Central agencies) may trouble me and my companies also," Reddy had said.