BJP steps up attack, moves ED to probe poaching claims

HYDERABAD: The BJP lent another dimension to its attack on the TRS government over the alleged poaching of MLAs by asking the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to investigate the money laundering by TRS leaders. It also asked the Election Commission of India to look into the “criminal attempts” by Cyberabad police commissioner Stephen Ravindra to damage the BJP's reputation.

BJP Dubbak MLA M. Raghunandan Rao on Friday filed a petition before the ED to investigate the TRS leaders' claims that Rs 400 crore was offered to lure four TRS MLAs into the BJP fold although the police had not presented any evidence about it. While TRS MLA P. Rohith Reddy claimed he was offered Rs 100 crore, the police asserted that they had confiscated Rs 15 crore.

In his petition to the ED office, the BJP MLA noted that anything over Rs 2 lakh that is carried in cash can be construed as money laundering, and the ED must investigate as local authorities may be acting as "mechanical tools" at the direction of their political bosses.

Raghunandan Rao also provided the Election Commission with a copy of the complaint he filed with the ED, in which he accused the Cyberabad Police Commissioner of trying to damage the reputation of the BJP without evidence.

Raghunandan Rao said the Cyberabad police chief had said that the phones of the three accused were seized, and wondered if that was the case, then how did the audio leaks about conversations between Rohith Reddy and purported BJP agents occur.

“Every evidence must be submitted to the magistrate within 24 hours, why did Stephen Ravindra (Cyberabad police chief) not do this,” he asked.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Union minister G. Kishan Reddy refuted TRS's allegations, claiming that there was nothing improper about representatives of one political party speaking with those of other parties. “We don't know that Swamiji, we have no connection to him, and we did not authorise him to speak for us with anyone.

Bringing down the TRS government is not our agenda, we will not disturb the TRS government which will disappear after the 2023 elections anyway,” he said.

Speaking in Munugode, Nizamabad MP Arvind Dharmapuri said, “there was absolutely no need for such cheap tricks by the TRS, be it audio or video clips. KCR is now running scared, and hence these tactics. We do not buy MLAs anywhere in the country.”

G. Vivek Venkatswamy, senior BJP leader and the party's Munugode campaign committee chairman, stated, "Whether the audio tapes or TRS accusations, these are nothing more than desperate attempts to divert people’s attention from the TRS losing the Munugode bypoll. The BJP is set to win, and win handsomely and the Chief Minister knows this.”