TRS seeks disqualification of BJP candidate over Rs 18K cr contract

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has sought disqualification of BJP candidate for Munugode Assembly by-election Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy following his reported statement that he joined the BJP after getting a Rs 18,000 crore contract.

A delegation of TRS leaders called on state Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj and submitted a representation, demanding disqualification of Rajagopal Reddy for the November 3 by-election.

The delegation brought to the notice of the CEO that Rajagopal Reddy revealed in an interview to a television channel that he entered the BJP after his company received a Rs 18,000 crore contract from the Central government.

The TRS delegation comprised party secretaries Srinivas Reddy and Soma Bharat, MLA Gadari Kishore and MP B. Lingaiah.

Lingaiah said Rajagopal Reddy admitted during the interview that he received the contract when he was in the Congress. He subsequently resigned from Congress and joined the BJP.

The MP said that Rajagopal Reddy has made a mockery of democracy and violated Representation of People Act.

The TRS said in the representation that Rajagopal Reddy did this under quid-pro-quo arrangement.

The party urged the CEO to pass interim orders disqualifying Rajagopal Reddy from contesting the by-election. It alleged that the BJP leader was making a mockery of democracy in Munugode with the money he received as contract.

Kishore said Rajagopal Reddy himself admitted that he got a Rs 18,000 crore contract to join the BJP. "We have given a representation to the chief electoral officer to disqualify Rajagopal Reddy," he said and alleged that the BJP leader was killing democracy.

The TRS said such leaders should not be encouraged by allowing them to contest. The TRS leaders said Rajagopal Reddy has mortgaged the self-respect of Munugode with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

They alleged that unable to digest the huge support Chief Minister KCR getting across the country, the BJP has imposed a by-election on the people of Munugode. Stating that people were watching the conspiracies of Rajagopal Reddy, they said people will teach him a befitting lesson.