Congress resorted to poll code violations widely in Jubilee Hills, alleges BRS

HYDERABAD

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) that the ruling Congress had resorted to gross violations of the model code of election conduct on the day of polling to the Jubilee Hills constituency byelection on Tuesday.

Even leaders who do not belong to the constituency, including MLAs Beerla Ilaiah (Alair) and J. Ram Chander Naik (Dornakal), MLC Shankar Naik and husband of M. Ragamayee (Sattupalle) M. Dayanand, G. Amith Reddy and others, went around several polling stations, interacted with voters and canvassed in support of the Congress candidate V. Naveen Yadav.

In a complaint sent to the Chief Election Commissioner, Chief Electoral Officer and others, BRS leaders led by former MLA B. Mallaiah Yadav said the Congress leaders who had resorted to poll code violations held positions of political power and influence, despite being outsiders. They moved around polling stations without any hindrance, engaged with voters and issued instructions to party workers.

Their movement across polling stations and interaction with voters created an atmosphere of influence and intimidation. Ordinary voters, particularly those from marginalised and economically weaker backgrounds felt pressure and fear due to the visible political power and authority of the leaders and the psychological influence undermined the principle of free choice and compromised the independent decision-making process of the voters, the BRS leaders said in the complaint.

Separately, the BRS leaders alleged that the Congress leaders and activists had distributed money to voters at polling stations 203, 205, 320, 321, 381, 382, 387, 394, 395, 399, 400, 403. At Borabanda, Corporator Baba Fasiuddin attacked a BRS activist and prevented the latter from acting as the polling agent. In Vengalrao Nagar division, the BRS activists caught red-handed a Congress leader who was found distributing money among voters.

The BRS leaders further alleged that police had acted with bias against BRS and cooperated with the Congress. They stated that Deputy Chief Minister M. Bhatti Vikramarka visited Jubilee Hills constituency in violation of the poll code.