Not Congress, But Democracy Is Losing Elections In Telangana: Uttam

Hyderabad, Jan 26 (Maxim News): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the TRS has won the municipal elections on the basis of money, liquor and misuse of official machinery. He also alleged that TRS, BJP and MIM have conspired together to damage the Congress party.

Speaking after hoisting national flag at party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan on the occasion of 71st Republic Day on Sunday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said all three parties have conspired to defeat the Congress party in just concluded municipal elections. However, he said despite several conspiracies and obstacles, the Congress party have performed better than previous elections. He said the share of Congress party in municipal polls has increased compared to Lok Sabha elections held in 2019. He said there has been a significant increase in Congress party’s vote share from Assembly to Parliament and then Panchayat Raj and now civic polls. Therefore, he said that the Congress party would certainly come to power in next Assembly elections. He said Congress party had won nearly 25% of municipalities in the State.

Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that TRS was winning elections using money power and liquor. He alleged that the TRS had spent up to Rs. 30,000 per vote to win the civic polls. Despite using money and liquor to influence voters, he said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was calling it a people’s mandate.

Calling this as a dangerous trend for democracy, he called upon the intellectuals and other members in the society to launch a movement to save democracy in Telangana State. He said democracy could not be restored unless elections are held in a free, fair and transparent manner.

The TPCC Chief said that the Congress party was not losing elections in Telangana. But it is the democracy and Constitution which are being defeated every time. He said there was serious threat to democracy in Telangana. He said practices like engineering defections of elected representatives of opposition parties into ruling party; kidnapping of political leaders, extreme usage of liquor, money and official position; curbing protest against wrong policies; house arrests; implication in false cases and using police to harass and terrorise political opponents have become common in Telangana. He said these practices have raised serious doubts on the very survival of democracy in Telangana.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also accused BJP Government at the Centre of targeting a particular community through the Citizenship Amendment Act. He said people across the country have been protesting against the CAA and many State Assemblies have passed resolutions opposing the CAA. Responding to Chief Minister KCR’s announcement that Telangana Assembly too would pass an anti-CAA resolution, he said despite repeated demands by him for a special Assembly session on the issue, KCR remained silent. However, immediately after declaration of results of municipal elections on Saturday, KCR began a new drama. He said KCR could not be trusted as he keeps changing his stance and never honours his own words.

The TPCC chief said that both BJP and TRS Governments were violating the Constitution. He said Modi Government was trying to take away the fundamental rights of citizens. He said Congress had opposed the manner in which Article 370 was removed from Jammu & Kashmir. Further, he said BJP Govt tried to interfere in the Muslim Personal Law by bringing Triple Talaq Bill. He pointed out that TRS had supported the BJP Government in all these moves. Now, he alleged that a particular segment was being targetting through CAA, NRC and NPR.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said TRS and BJP were having a secret understanding in Telangana. He said BJP leaders only give media statements alleging corruption and embezzlement of funds by TRS leaders. But they never made a request to their own party’s government at the Centre to order a CBI probe against KCR or other TRS leaders, he said.

The Nalgonda MP said that the Congress would continue to raise people’s issues although TRS Govt has been adopting all means to suppress the main opposition party. He said Congress party would expose the failures and corruption of KCR Govt in Telangana State. He expressed confidence that Congress party would return to power in 2023 elections. (Maxim News)