The Political powerplay and using state machinery to settle political scores is no new news and it has happened since the dawn of time in Indian politics. However, things get choppy when the state-machinery is caught red-handed on the camera and a ubiquitous presence of social media ensures that no such frivolous activity gets unnoticed. After Maharashtra, where the Maha Vikas Aghadi has made its sole aim to cull the opposition, individuals, and media organizations that speak against it, the K Chandrashekar Rao led TRS government is now using the police to ensnare the opposition parties and its leaders in the judicial net.
On Monday, the police conducted raids on the houses of BJP candidate for the Dubbaka by-poll constituency, M Raghunandan Rao, and his relatives after receiving an alleged tip-off that money was being distributed for votes ahead of the election.
According to news reports, police claimed to have recovered Rs18.65 lakh from two persons linked to the BJP candidate in Siddipet ahead of the November 3 by-elections.
However, the situation went out of control when the police team was confronted by Raghunandan Rao and BJP workers at the residence of Rao’s father-in-law Surabhi Ramgopal while searches were being conducted.
Several videos doing the rounds of social media have contradicted police’s claims about recovering the money from the BJP candidate. In the videos, it can be seen that one of the police officers is carrying a bag, allegedly having the money in it. After some resistance by the supporters of the BJP candidate and their stubbornness on seeing the contents of the bag, a slight tussle ensues between police and the party workers.
https://twitter.com/i_ShivaAditya/status/1320801642749386752
Towards the end of the video, it can be seen that the bag had money which the workers then tried flashing to the big crowd that had gathered outside. The police officers tried chasing the party workers to recover the lost amount but to no avail.
It is not clear where that money came from and who does it belong to but prima facie, it looks like the Telangana Police has landed in troubled waters.
Raghunandan Rao alleged that police did not show any notice before conducting the raids and even threatened the residents of the house. Rao said that as soon as he learnt about the raids he abandoned his campaign and rushed home, but the police did not let him enter. He was not even allowed to speak to his wife, Rao claimed. Earlier, Rao had written a letter to the MHA alleging illegal phone surveillance by the police.
The way MP & @BJP4Telangana Prez Sri @bandisanjay_bjp has been treated shows the frustration of the ruling dispensation.
I have been in public life since 1980 and have organised & contested many elections. Never have I seen any ruling party abuse state machinery like I see today pic.twitter.com/2NJ4uUZPVE
— G Kishan Reddy (Modi Ka Parivar) (@kishanreddybjp) October 26, 2020
BJP state unit chief Bandi Sanjay was arrested by the police and his official handle even posted the video of police detaining him.
The incidents as they unravelled in Siddipet today are unwarranted, unjustified and unpardonable in any standard.
Visited the house which was broke open illegally and spoke to Sri Raghunandan Rao garu and his family.
Also visited injured karyakartas admitted in Hospital. pic.twitter.com/NddkkYReuT
— G Kishan Reddy (Modi Ka Parivar) (@kishanreddybjp) October 26, 2020
“This is a desperate attempt by the KCR government to misuse the police to intimidate the BJP Telangana leadership, which has created a serious campaign and challenged the TRS in this by-election,” said BJP MP and spokesperson Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Slamming the police action.
“Things are looking too shaky for KCR and TRS. Therefore, this very desperate attempt to try to arrest and intimidate Bandi Sanjay, party leader G Vivek Venkataswamy and some other leaders, including shamelessly trying to plant money on them to try and make a case against them. This will not prevail, and the BJP will fight back,” he added.
The by-poll for Dubbaka assembly constituency was necessitated after sitting TRS MLA Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy’s death due to a heart attack. The Dubbaka seat has always been a stronghold of the TRS but this time around, BJP has mounted a spirited campaign and has been in the fray of securing an outright victory over the TRS challenger.
While the TRS fielded Reddy’s wife Solipeta Sujatha as its nominee, BJP fielded Raghunandan Rao who lost twice. Cheruku Srinivas Reddy, son of former minister Cheruku Mutyam Reddy, is the Congress candidate for the by-poll.
It is being said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken stock of the entire incident and is keeping a close eye on the chain of events. Whatever the outcome of this entire fiasco, the TRS government has lost its face and with election dates coming in hot, BJP is getting all the press and possibly the sympathy votes too.