ECI gives clean chit to Rajagopal Reddy, KTR launches a broadside at BJP as Munugode campaign ends

To a question at a news conference at Telangana Bhavan, he ridiculed Rajagopal Reddy’s clarification to the ECI that he had nothing to do with the bank transactions of Sushee Infra as it was now being handled by his son.

“The son sends money and the father feigns ignorance. Would anyone believe it? It only shows how impartially the EC is functioning,” he said.

TRS accusations against ECI, I-T department

He also referred to the axing of the returning officer of Munugode because he had cancelled a symbol that resembled TRS’ car.

“It was the Election Commission which had deleted the symbol from the free list in the past; and again it had included it, probably at the behest of the BJP, to confuse the voters. In this incident, who should get the marching orders? The returning officer or the one who included the cancelled symbol in the list of free symbols at ECI in Delhi?” he asked.

The TRS working president was also unhappy with the Income Tax (I-T) Department officials’ raids at the residence of the personal assistant of Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy a few days before the polling.

“I have noticed how active the I-T and the central forces have become. We don’t care about the antics of the BJP. We are not scared of the central agencies, not even CBI. When we are taking Narendra Modi himself head-on, why should we be scared of his hunting dogs?” he asked.

Related: Curtains come down on bypoll campaign in Munugode

Cash for MLAs: Still a factor

When asked about the BJP denying any role in the cash for MLAs case, KTR said that if they were not involved in cajoling the legislators, how could it happen? “Are we so foolish to enact a drama and break our heads with a boulder like BJP lawmaker T Raja Singh often does? He is known in his constituency as pathar Singh,” he said.

Referring to how strongly the wind is blowing in favour of TRS in Munugode, he said that on the day of counting everyone would be surprised at the margin the TRS candidate would get in the election, implying that his party was all set to bulldoze its way to victory.

Crowds cheering as KTR campaigns in Munugode. (ysathishreddy/Twitter)

He made an appeal to voters to choose between TRS, which is on the side of the farmers, and the BJP, which always sought to hurt their interests. He recalled Modi promising to double farmers’ income when he came to power for the first time in 2014, but what had finally happened was that the problems of farmers had doubled.

He said derisively that the BJP had enough funds to purchase MLAs but no money to procure paddy from Telangana.

He also asked the weavers to keep in mind the five percent GST imposed by the Modi government which was like issuing a death warrant for the handloom sector. He wanted the women to remember that the price of LPG in 2014, when Modi took over, was ₹400, and now it has risen to ₹1,200.

He said Rajagopal Reddy who is in the fray was just a contractor who was trying to use the elections to make money. A politician should have an innate passion to serve the people. He should be conscious of the problems the people are facing and respond to them. Rajagopal Reddy singularly lacks all these qualities, he said.

TRS BJP clash in Munugode

Meanwhile, TRS and BJP workers clashed at Palivela when saffron party legislator Eatala Rajender entered the village to campaign for Rajagopal Reddy. As soon as he entered the village, suspected TRS activists rained stones on his campaign vehicle. Sources said that even the gunmen protecting the legislator were also injured.

Mr @amitmalviya, #Munugode elections has given hiccups to Modi & Shah. After using ED, IT & EC now they are now trying to create violence which is your usual formula! 👇 #MunugodeWithTRS pic.twitter.com/5gIzAQPiqd

— YSR (@ysathishreddy) November 1, 2022

As the blows kept raining on the BJP crowd, they retaliated and charged at the TRS workers. Soon it was a free for all with the two groups attacking each other.

Some more workers arrived armed with sticks and the situation appeared to be getting out of control. The police eventually swung into action and dispersed the crowd.

Interestingly, Palivela is the native village of BJP leader Eatala Rajender’s wife Jamuna.

Central Minister G Kishan Reddy alleged that the attack on Rajender was premeditated and was not spontaneous. Though Rajender exercised extreme restraint, the TRS workers kept throwing stones at the BJP vehicle.

Rajender said that about 20 party workers were injured in the clash and that BJP was not afraid of the TRS or its acts of violence.

Meanwhile, the TRS workers dismissed the BJP allegations as baseless. They said they were not in the habit of attacking opponents in elections. KTR blamed the BJP for the ugly scenes witnessed in the village.