Remove Arvind, Somesh, Jayesh, Revanth Tells EC

Hyderabad: TPCC chief A.Revanth Reddy demanded that the Election Commission of India remove senior IAS officers Arvind Kumar, Jayesh Ranjan and government adviser Somesh Kumar from their respective posts immediately to ensure free and fair elections.

Revanth Reddy alleged that the three officials were pressuring businessmen in Telangana to give 'chanda' (money) to the BRS. He also demanded the removal of DGP Anjani Kumar and Cyberabad police commissioner Stephen Raveendra from their posts.

The TPCC chief alleged that Anjani Kumar, Raveendra and retired police officials Prabhakar Rao, Venugopal Rao, Bhujang Rao were functioning as a 'private army' of the BRS. He said the BRS government had deputed several retired IAS and IPS officers in various positions and they should be removed from these posts immediately.

Speaking to media persons in Delhi on Friday, Revanth Reddy alleged that Hyderabad Task Force DGP Radhakishan Rao was functioning as 'private army head' and misusing police machinery to benefit the BRS. They were threatening Congress supporters and sympathizers, he alleged.

Revanth Reddy accused Raveendra of threatening the minorities and asking them to vote for the BRS. He also levelled serious allegations against these officials of transporting money belonging to BRS candidates.

Revanth Reddy alleged that finance special secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao was releasing funds to MLAs in violation of election code. He charged Arvind Kumar, municipal administration and urban development special chief secretary of resorting to HMDA land conversion approvals after the election code came into force.

He demanded that the Election Commission to take stringent action against all these officials named by him. "If the EC fails to act against these officials, we will move the High Court seeking justice," the TPCC chief said.

He lashed out at former TPCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah for leaving the party, saying: "The Congress is yet to release the list. How can Ponnala claim that he has resigned as he was denied a ticket? This is nothing but a drama and his attempt to find lame excuses to leave Congress with a malafide intention to damage the party.”

He demanded that Lakshmaiah tender an unconditional apology to the party and the cadres who stood with him for 40 years.

Revanth Reddy said that the party high command had called senior leader Ali Masqati to Delhi and requested him to contest from Charminar. "Masqati said he will consult his followers and make a decision on this in a day or two," he said.