Huzurabad bypoll: BJP seeks transfer of Collector, CP, RO

Hyderabad: The Telangana State BJP has sought the transfer of District Collector, Commissioner of Police and Returning Officer of the poll-bound Huzurabad of Karimnagar district for the conduct of free and fair elections. In a complaint lodged with the State Chief Electoral Officer on Thursday, TS BJP general secretary G Premender Reddy alleged that the District Collector, Commissioner of Police and the Returning Officer of Huzurabad constituency were acting in a biased manner showing partiality to the ruling TRS candidate, Gellu Srinivas Yadav.

They alleged that the officials have been acting as per the instructions of Finance Minister T Harish Rao and causing all possible troubles to candidates of other parties. Adding that the said officials were appointed in the Huzurabad constituency soon after the resignation of Eatala Rajender, the BJP delegation said that that Returning Officer hailed from Siddipet district which was the constituency of TRS election in-charge and Finance Minister T Harish Rao.

Also, all other family relatives hailed from Huzurabad and Husnabad. As such, the BJP expressed doubts on the performance of officials working as per the directions of the State government rather than the Election Commission of India.

They also alleged that the Returning Officer was troubling other candidates while receiving and processing applications as per the directions of Minister T Harish Rao and was acting according to Minister's instructions contrary to the model code of conduct.

That apart, the District Collector, also the competent office for disbursement of Dalit Bandhu funds, have been holding back depositing the funds to eligible candidates who have completed the entire process. They allegedthat the government was planning to deposit the money just a few days prior to polling date to influence the voters.

Premender Reddy also took strong exception to the presence of intelligence police when nomination papers of Eatala were filed through his proposers on Thursday. He said that the State intelligence police were inside the Returning Officer's room taking photographs of the proposers in violation of the rules and guidelines of the EC. The BJP leaders also said that they have also submitted a video wherethe police personnelwere seen serving food to the TRS activists.