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Cash seizure, farmers in fray sour K Chandrasekhar Rao-PM Modi ties

According to top sources, BJP president Amit Shah called up Mr Rao and expressed his unhappiness over these two incidents.

Hyderabad: Relations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao have soured after the seizure of Rs 8 crore from BJP supporters in Hyderabad, and the filing of nominations by turmeric farmers from the state against Mr Modi in Varanasi.

According to top sources, BJP president Amit Shah called up Mr Rao and expressed his unhappiness over these two incidents.

Just three days before the first phase of parliamentary elections, the Telangana state police seized `8 crore from BJP supporters in Hyderabad, who had withdrawn the money from the party’s account in Indian Bank and were taking it to the party office. The BJP said the money was withdrawn from the party’s account to meet election expenses.

In the second incident, 50 turmeric farmers from Nizamabad went to Varanasi to file their nominations; Mr Modi is contesting from this constituency. About 150 turmeric farmers also filed their nominations from Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, from where Chief Minister Rao’s daughter and sitting MP, K. Kavita, contested.

In his conversation with Mr Rao two days ago, Mr Shah told the Chief Minister that the state government had seized the money from BJP workers in order to damage the image of the BJP ahead of the elections. Mr Rao reportedly replied that the state government had nothing to do with the incident and that during elections, when the model code of conduct is in force such things come under the purview of the Election Commission.

Mr Shah also told Mr Rao that sending the turmeric farmers to Varanasi was done in order to attract national media attention.

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