Former Minister Harish Rao Alleges Congress-BJP Collusion in Municipal Elections
In a scathing critique of the recent municipal elections, former minister and BRS MLA T Harish Rao has leveled serious allegations against the ruling Congress government and the BJP. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rao claimed that an unholy alliance between the Congress and the BJP had become unmistakably evident during the electoral process.
Police Bias and Political Targeting
Harish Rao pointed to what he called blatant double standards in law enforcement. He asserted that BJP leaders who allegedly abused police officers faced no consequences, while BRS leaders were systematically targeted with fabricated cases simply for questioning authorities. "The Congress government has murdered democracy during these municipal elections," Rao declared, adding that some police officers had behaved like agents of the ruling party rather than impartial law enforcers.
Illegal Arrests and Political Vendetta
The allegations came after Rao visited former MLA Balka Suman at Adilabad Central Jail, where Suman is currently in remand. Rao described the arrests of Balka Suman, Rajireddy, and Anil Laxmikant as completely illegal and politically motivated. He highlighted what he called deliberate cruelty in their detention arrangements.
- Although jails were available in Peddapalli and Asifabad under the Ramagundam Commissionerate
- The arrested leaders were intentionally shifted to Adilabad Jail
- This relocation involved transporting them nearly 200 kilometers away
- Rao characterized this as a clear act of political vendetta
Election Manipulation Allegations
Referring specifically to the Kaithanpally municipal chairperson election, Rao noted that the BRS-CPI alliance had won 14 out of 22 seats, securing what he called a clear mandate from the people. However, he alleged that minister Vivek Venkatswamy and the Congress leadership attempted to seize power through backdoor methods by deliberately disrupting the chairperson election process.
Rao further claimed that police parades in multiple locations served political rather than public safety purposes. He identified Jangaon, Ibrahimpatnam, Amangal, and Kaithanpally as places where police presence was intended not to protect citizens but to intimidate BRS councillors and leaders. Despite the BRS holding a clear majority in Ibrahimpatnam, Rao said attempts were made to obstruct the election process through these tactics.
Contrast with Previous Administration
The former minister drew sharp contrasts with how elections were conducted when his party was in power. "When the BRS was in government, the Congress won only four municipalities," Rao stated. "Our administration never resorted to such undemocratic tactics to influence outcomes."
He emphasized that although the BRS had now won nearly 800 councillor seats across various municipalities, the Congress government was using police machinery to capture power through what he described as completely undemocratic means. This represents a fundamental breakdown of electoral integrity according to the veteran politician.
The allegations paint a picture of systematic election manipulation, with Rao suggesting coordinated efforts between political rivals and law enforcement to undermine democratic processes. These claims come amid heightened political tensions in Telangana following the municipal elections, with opposition parties increasingly vocal about what they perceive as erosion of democratic norms under the current administration.
