Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader G Vivekanand on Wednesday called Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao a dictator and accused Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government of harassing BJP workers in the state in fear of facing defeat in the upcoming Dubbak by-polls.
Speaking to ANI, Vivekanand said that BJP has requested the deployment of Central forces and Income Tax officers in Dubbak ahead of polls so that the TRS government could not use state machinery to "throw away" the norms set by the Election Commission of India.
"The K Chandrasekhar Rao headed government, has thrown away all the norms set by the Election Commission. TRS has been using police as a tool to harass BJP workers in the state. We have also demanded Central forces and Income Tax officers to be stationed at Dubbak till the elections are conducted peacefully," he said.
He alleged that in Huzurnagar by-election, TRS distributed money to buy votes, and used police to transfer the money there.
"They demanded the presence of Central forces in Dubbak because of what happened in Huzurnagar by-election. Free money was distributed to buy votes. Unfortunately, the EC gave permission to release Money under Rythu Bandhu scheme two days before the election," he said
"This means the state government is buying the votes directly from the voters. They not only paid the money that was due but paid for one month in advance, misusing the code of conduct. The TRS government used police to transfer the money in Huzurnagar. This has to be stopped," Vivekanand continued.
The BJP leader further requested the EC to change the rules for the release of money under ongoing schemes and said that the money should "either be release a month before or a month after the election".
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He also talked about the recent preventive arrest of State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar.
"The way the police have behaved with BJP state president is really bad. We request the Election Commission to take strong action against the police. I saw the Chief Minister gave instructions to the Police Commissioner on phone about what to do. The Chief Minister is behaving like a dictator and he needs to be taught a lesson," the BJP leader added.
The Dubbak Assembly by-poll is scheduled for November 3.