Congress lost Assembly elections due to poll discrepancies: Uttam

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Congress party has lost recently held Assembly elections only due to discrepancies in the polling and counting process.
 
Speaking after unfurling the party's flag at Gandhi Bhavan to mark 134th Formation Day of Indian National Congress on Friday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that Congress party faced defeat in elections only due to irregularities committed by the ruling party and poll authorities. He said that the Congress party has concrete evidence to prove its allegations. He said that the Congress party would wage a legal battle till it gets justice.
 
In an informal chat with media persons at Gandhi Bhavan later, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that there were many reasons for Congress party's defeat in Assembly elections. He said there was a huge gap in the actual number of votes polled on polling day on December 7 and those counted in EVMs on December 11. "Who is accountable for this?" he asked.
 
He said several representations were made with the Election Commission of India in Delhi anslo the State Election Commission in this regard. However, he said that the election authorities were reluctant to count the VVPAT slips. He said that the margin of defeat was less than 1% in constituencies like Dharmapuri, Ibrahimpatnam and Kodad. But the poll authorities did not agree to count the VVPATs slips. Similarly, he said that the thousands of votes were shown as polled in Mancherial after 4 pm which was practically not possible.
 
Uttam said that the election authorities were not even responding to the complaints lodged by the Congress party and other candidates. He said people have been losing faith on the Election Commission due to its strange and highly condemnable role in indulging or defending the discrepancies in polling process. He said that the Congress party has done an in-depth analysis and it would wage a legal war against the poll irregularities.
 
The TPCC Chief said that the party would soon conduct a meeting to review the performance and results of Assembly elections. He said that the Congress party has run a good campaign both on field and also in print and electronic media. He said that the formation of alliance should have been advanced. However, he said that the 'Praja Kutami' performed well on ground. He said a preliminary report has already been sent to the Congress High Command and a detailed review would be held soon.
 
Uttam said that the Congress party would give a better performance in next Lok Sabha elections and the results would be entirely different. He said that the AICC would take a decision on the candidates for Parliamentary elections. He said the discussion on whether or not to continue the alliance with TDP, TJS and CPI would be held in the next two-three days.
 
Earlier, while addressing the Congress Formation Day function, Uttam accused the TRS Government of doing injustice with Backward Classes by reducing their reservation quota in Panchayat Raj elections. He said that the Congress would fight against it in the court as the party believes in social justice.
 
He also condemned passing of Triple Talaq Bill in Lok Sabha and said that the Congress party has strongly opposed it. He said that the BJP has misused its strength in Lok Sabha to pass the Bill unilaterally while ignoring the concerns raised by opposition.
 
The Congress Formation Day function was also attended by former PCC Presidents Ponnala Lakshmaiah and V. Hanumantha Rao, MLC Shabbir Ali and other senior leaders.