KARIMNAGAR: BJP candidate Etala Rajendar put off his scheduled press conference on Friday morning amid surfacing of a video on social media in which envelopes with ₹ 10,000 are being allegedly distributed to voters.
The veracity of these envelopes, carrying images of Rajendar and BJP’s lotus symbol, could not be established.
Media personnel, apart from a flying squad of police officials, had gathered at the venue of media meet at 11 a.m. on Friday. But the meet got put off with reporters being informed that the returning officer had rejected the application for holding the press conference in view of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Meanwhile, Rajendar had proceeded to Warangal district via Hanamkonda, where the MCC is not applicable.
Deccan Chronicle has learnt that Rajendar wanted to speak about the surfacing of some videos on Thursday depicting some persons giving to voters envelopes containing Rs 10,000 with his picture and the BJP symbol. Faces of voters receiving the envelopes or persons handing them over could not be seen in the video.
A follower of Rajendar told Deccan Chronicle alleged that the videos were handiwork of TRS leaders. His reasoning was why any party will distribute money openly with photos and party symbol.
Countering this, a TRS leader told Deccan Chronicle that it has become a habit of BJP leaders to create something on social media to grab attention of voters. He pointed out that during Dubbak byoll too, BJP candidate Raghunandan Rao had appeared as though his hand had got broken and BJP state chief Bandi Sanjay had locked himself in his party office.
The TRS leader accused Rajendar of needlessly calling a press conference, when he knew that it will not be allowed. “It is just an attempt to create a drama,” the TRS leader alleged.
