BRS Chief Calls for SC Inquiry into ECI Functioning, Accuses BJP of Supporting Poll Body

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao has called for a Supreme Court inquiry into the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), even as he asked why the BJP was supporting the poll body. In response, the Telangana BJP said KTR targeted the BJP out of fear. KTR had on Wednesday, November 11, questioned the BJP’s decision to organise a rally in Nirmal district in support of the Election Commission. Addressing the BRS’ Nirmal Rythu Garjana event, KTR questioned the BJP’s association with the ECI and said the party’s decision to defend the election body amid allegations of electoral irregularities raised questions. “The entire country is questioning the Election Commission over allegations of irregularities and concerns about its functioning. There is a nationwide debate over vote theft and the credibility of the ECI,” he said. The Sircilla MLA also asked, “Amid all this, why is the BJP organising a rally in support of the Election Commission in Nirmal? What is the BJP’s connection with the Election Commission? When questions are being raised across the country, why is the BJP taking to the streets to defend it?” Questioning the BJP’s association with the ECI, KTR said, “ Daal mein kuch Kaala hai .” Attacking the Telangana BJP MPs and MLAs, Rao said that they have become ashta grahalu for Telangana. He said that there are eight MLAs and eight MPs of the BJP in Telangana, but they are doing nothing for the state. They have become ‘ashta grahalu’. They (BJP legislators) are not useful for Telangana. The BRS leader slammed the Nirmal MLA, Alleti Maheshwar Reddy. He said, “You ensured the victory of the BJP MLA in Nirmal. He has not even done a single paisa’s worth of work in the constituency. He did not talk when the BRS MLAs were arrested near the Assembly. He only supports Revanth Reddy. They are selling CCI (Cement Corporation of India) for scrap. The BJP government has not given national project status to a single project in the state. No medical colleges, no Navodaya schools in the state, whereas we made Nirmal a district,” he concluded. Responding to KTR’s remark, Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president N Ramchander Rao said on Thursday, November 12, that the BRS and the Congress are the same. In an interview with the Press Trust of India, Rao said, “KTR and Congress are the same; when the BJP launched the Lok Tantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao march, he was supportive of Congress.” He accused the BRS and Congress of ruining the economy in Telangana and said that the BRS is targeting BJP MPs and MLAs out of fear. He claimed that the people of Telangana have rejected the BRS, and now it holds no ground in the state.