Parties come up with excuses after drubbing at hands of TRS, Majlis in GHMC polls
Hyderabad: The massive electoral drubbing at the hands of the TRS and Majlis in the GHMC polls saw the Opposition parties — Congress and BJP — conjuring up some innovative excuses for their poor performance.
While a senior BJP leader credited the TRS promise of 2BHK houses led to its unprecedented victory, the Congress claimed that the EVMs were tampered with and the official machinery misused.
Leading the BJP’s defence was Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya who told reporters on Sunday that the TRS campaign, especially its promise of 2BHK houses tilted the polls in its favour.
“The TRS started its campaign much ahead of other parties, about three months ago. Its repeated claims that it will secure the mayor’s post with the votes of ex-officio members swayed voters who thought they should prefer the ruling party rather than the Opposition,” Mr Dattatreya said.
He added that the BJP will formally sit and analyse the poll results and will take corrective steps after identifying the lapses that led to its defeat.
Elsewhere, TPCC chief spokesperson Dasoju Sravan and former mayor Banda Karthika Reddy said that the reason behind the TRS’ overwhelming victory was due to tampering of EVMs and misuse of the official machinery.
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner, the Congress leader lodged a complaint against the State Election Commission, accusing it of colluding with the TRS government and allowing tampering of EVMs used in GHMC polls as well as in the Warangal bypoll held three months ago.
Dr Sravan alleged that orders of Election Commission of India were deliberately ignored by the state election authorities who helped the ruling party post huge margins both in Warangal and GHMC polls.
The Congress leader requested the ECI to “at least” ensure a free and fair poll in the Narayankhed Assembly bypoll which comes under its jurisdiction.
He reminded EC that consequent on Supreme Court orders and amendments to the Representation of People’s Act, the Election Authorities must ensure introduction of printers or Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) along with the EVMs so as to avoid the potential tampering or manipulation voting pattern and results.
“It is observed that Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, and State Election Commission of Telangana did not follow the guidelines,” he wrote.
Dr Sravan said that based on the preliminary data which the Congress had gathered from the contestants and the voters of Warangal and GHMc limits, the party was convinced that the results did not depict the true mandate given by voters and believed that tampering of EVMs did happen.
