Congress Sees Conspiracy In Timing Of MLC Polling Dates

Hyderabad, May 8 (Maxim News): Congress lodged a complaint with the Election Commission alleging a major conspiracy behind the schedule for holding elections for three vacant MLC seats from local bodies in Telangana State. AICC national spokesperson Dr Sravan Dasoju met the full Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi today and submitted a memorandum given by TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy on the issue.

Speaking to mediapersons later, Sravan said all the three MLC seats fell vacant in December 2018 due to resignation by sitting members for different reasons. He said the Election Commission could have conducted the elections in March this year along with the polls held for two Teachers and one Graduates constituency. Sravan pointed out that the schedule for three MLC seats of Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda and Warangal Local Authorities’ constituencies was declared on the midnight of May 6 and the TRS quickly declared names of its candidates.

He said the timing has raised suspicion that the elections might not be held in a free and fair manner. He pointed out that ZPTCs and MPTCs are voters in the Local Authorities Constituencies. However, he said that the process for election of ZPTC and MPTC was still on. While the first phase polling was held on May 6, the second and third phase polling is scheduled on May 10 and May 14 respectively and results will be declared on May 27. Therefore, how is it possible for the Election Commission to conduct polls on May 31 without having the voter list? he asked.

The Congress leader informed that a delegation of senior leaders of Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS have already met the CEO seeking extension in poll schedule for two weeks so that the newly elected ZPTCs and MPTCs are added as voters. (Maxim News)