All candidates withdraw for TRS at Jainoor ZPTC

Kumarambheem Asifabad: The withdrawal of the candidates from the Congress and other parties from the election for Jainoor ZPTC and the resultant “unanimous” election of former MLA Kova Laxmi to the ZPTC has become controversial.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) had announced the candidature of former MLA Kova Laxmi as the ZP candidate for Kumarambeem district. She was contesting from the Jainoor ZPTC seat where the party is strong.

While the supporters of Ms Laxmi celebrated their leader being elected unanimously and distributed sweets on the occasion, Congress leaders alleged that TRS leaders forced the Congress ZPTC candidate Rathod Hari to withdraw from the contest on Monday. Today is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

According to sources, there were seven candidates including the Congress, BJP in the fray for the Jainoor ZPTC seat but all the candidates withdrew their nominations on the last day. Even Mesrum Sheku, who was contesting as the BJP candidate without having Form B from the party, also withdrew raising eyebrows. There are 15 ZPTC seats in Kumarambheem Asifabad district.

Congress leader Ritesh Rathod and DCC president Vishwa Prasad went to the local MPDO office and picked up an argument with officials over the “forceful” withdrawal of the candidates from the contest in Jainoor ZPTC. Two groups of the TRS and the Congress workers clashed over the issue and made allegations against each other.

Kumarambheem Asifabad DCC president K. Vishwaprasad alleged that the TRS leaders had indulged in the forgery of Mr Hari’s signature to get him out of the contest.

Congress party Lok Sabha candidate Ramesh Rathod alleged that the TRS leaders were indulging in anti-democratic actions and suppressing opposing leaders. He said TRS leaders had forced the contesting candidates of opposition parties and independent candidates contesting for ZPTCs out of the fray in order to grab the Zilla Parishad Chairman seat.

Congress leaders deman-ded that the state Election Commission look into the incident of forceful withdrawal of nominations in Jainoor ZPTC elections.

The Congress leaders alleged that TRS led by Chief Minister K. Chandr-asekhar Rao “is playing money politics and making a mockery of the democratic election process”.