Hyderabad: Bandi Sanjay Kumar pats CM, SEC, DGP over low voter turnout

Hyderabad: Telangana BJP on Tuesday demanded suspension of State Election Commissioner (SEC) and action against State Director General of Police (DGP). Addressing a joint media conference here on Tuesday, along with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy and BJP national vice-president D K Aruna, State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that the SEC had made fun of the election process.

"The State police gave cover to the poll code violations by the ruling party ministers, MLAs and leaders in the distribution of money and liquor to influence voters." Sanjay Kumar congratulated the State government, SEC and State DGP, taking a jibe at them for being successful in their bid to ensure lower voter turnout in the GHMC elections. Lashing out at the SEC for acting like a "rubber stamp" following the dictates of the Chief Minister KCR and his government, he demanded suspension of the SEC.

Asking the State DGP who created disturbances during the polling, he demanded action against him for allowing the police to remain silent when the ruling party leaders have been distributing money and liquor. The BJP MP said even the officials of the rank of ACP and the police officials were feeling ashamed of being on duty with their hands tied.

He alleged that the officials themselves told him that they were not able to act following directions from the top bosses. He said that it exposes how the TRS had been winning elections misusing the official machinery. Further, taking on the SEC, he said it was not even in a position to distinguish between the symbol of CPI and CPM.

Kishan Reddy said that the government machinery had surrendered to serve the interests of the ruling party. Particularly, the conduct of the police during the election process was highly objectionable. Together, they made a mockery of the democratic process. He said that the State government which remote-controlled the SEC should feel ashamed of the lowest polling turnout in the GHMC elections.

"The polling percentages even in the local panchayat polls held under the cover of the AK-47s and villages bordering Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir had polled higher percentage." He asked people to give serious thinking to it. D K Aruna said the three-day holidays, discrepancies in the voter lists, large-scale distribution of money and liquor to influence voters, the pro-government role played by the SEC and creation fear among the voters were some of the reasons for the lower turnout of voters. She observed that Congress was not seen anywhere in the GHMC elections and it has turned out to be a battle between TRS and BJP in every division. "We hope the BJP would get support of the people and win the GHMC elections."