HYDERABAD: A video clip stating that Dubbak Congress candidate Cheruku Srinivas Reddy is joining the ruling TRS went viral on social media minutes before polling began in the constituency on Tuesday.
Congress leaders, led by TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, complained to the chief election commissioner of India, additional electoral officer in Telangana and the state director general of police demanding an investigation into the incident. “A criminal conspiracy was hatched against the Congress candidate and the party. The election commission should direct the Telangana government to investigate it under your direct supervision in an urgent manner,” Uttam stated in the complaint to the CEC.
On his part, Srinivas Reddy lodged a complaint with Thoguta police in Dubbak constituency and released a video appealing to the voters not to believe in the malicious campaign. He swore by his late father and four-time MLA from Dubbak (Dommat) Cheruku Mutyam Reddy that he is not joining TRS and will continue to work in Congress irrespective of the bypoll result.
The Congress raised its finger of suspicion against BJP and TRS, alleging their involvement for fear of losing the election. The BJP and TRS condemned the allegations as baseless. “It’s a bad mischief but people are intelligent enough to know what is right and wrong,”said Telangana planning commission vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar of the TRS.
BJP chief spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said the misleading video is an unacceptable tactic on any candidate and criminal action should be taken against those responsible for it. “BJP has fought hard to win the bypoll in Dubbak and does not need to indulge in below the belt political tactics,” he said.
In its complaint to the CEC, the Congress stated: “the polling for the by-election to Dubbak constituency commenced at 7 am. At the same time, a fake video was made viral with the intent of damaging the prospects of Congress candidate and the party. The fake video was made using the logo of reputed private vernacular TV channels to give credibility to it. It stated that Cheruku Srinivas Reddy met a close relative of chief minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and will join the TRS.”
Srinivas Reddy demanded that BJP candidate Raghunandan Rao should be disqualified from the bypoll fray. Also, Telangana Governor should initiate action for removal of T Harish Rao from the state cabinet.
The private TV channels too came out with clarification that it was not its news and lodged complaints with the cyber crime police.
AICC in charge of Telangana Manickam Tagore, TPCC working president A Revanth Reddy, former MP V Hanumanth Rao among others condemned the fake news and demanded immediate action.