TDP accuses TRS of helping YSRC by stealing data

VIJAYAWADA: The raid by Telangana police on a software company in Hyderabad on the charge of stealing AP government’s data has snowballed into a controversy ahead of the AP assembly and Lok Sabha elections. TDP has charged the TRS government in Telangana of stealing its data to help the opponent YSRC in Andhra Pradesh during the polls.

Incidentally, the police had acted on a complaint lodged by one Lokeshwar Reddy that TDP’s Seva Mitra App is helping in leakage of data. While YSRC has claimed that the data is related to people in AP, TDP said it is private and pertained to TDP members. Lokeshwar Reddy sought police protection after he was questioned by the AP police.

Meanwhile, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with advocate-general D Srinivas Rao on the raids. It is learnt that the state government is exploring legal ways on the controversial issue.

TDP accused TRS of helping YSRC by stealing the data of TDP members, consultants, volunteers and Seva Mitras. TDP holds that the data is crucial as it helps the party in electoral planning. The alleged leak or sharing of data with the YSRC will work to TDP’s disadvantage. Incidentally, Naidu has alleged that the YSRC is remote-controlled by TRS from Hyderabad and BJP from Delhi.

IT minister Nara Lokesh accused TRS of harassing the TDP cadres. TRS is trying to influence the assembly and Lok Sabha polls in AP through its dirty politics and intimidation tactics, he said.

According to TDP sources, the ‘technology’ (data) was meant for the welfare of people and governance in the state. But TRS and YSRCP are misusing it to conspire against TDP and AP government.

Naidu has been accusing his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao of threatening Andhra-origin politicians, realtors, businessmen and industrialists based in Telangana through police raids. A senior TDP leader on Sunday alleged that TRS is now using cybercrime too to create fear.

Only on Saturday Naidu alleged that the raids and threats to businessmen and “defamation” of the TDP government was planned by TRS, BJP and YSRC. “Jagan action, Modi direction and KCR reaction,” he had said.

AP Telugu Desam Party president K Kala Venkat Rao said the police had raided the IT firm providing data services to TDP to steal the vital data of the party. “As the police could not find anything incriminatory, employees of the company were kidnapped,” he alleged.