India News | Telangana: Campaigning Ends for Munugode Bypoll
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Curtains came down on campaigning for the November 3 by-poll to the Munugode Assembly constituency in Telangana on Tuesday which turned violent earlier in the day with a clash occurring between ruling TRS and BJP workers.
Hyderabad, Nov 1 (PTI) Curtains came down on campaigning for the November 3 by-poll to the Munugode Assembly constituency in Telangana on Tuesday which turned violent earlier in the day with a clash occurring between ruling TRS and BJP workers.
Several people were injured in the clash at Palivela village and the two parties made allegations against each other for the incident.
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TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy complained to the Munugode Returning Officer and also police alleging that "BJP goons and workers" attacked TRS activists.
However, BJP leader and Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy alleged that TRS attacked the party MLA Eatala Rajender and activists due to frustration.
"The frustration & desperation of TRS over losing the Munugode By-poll is evident from the attack on Sr leader, @BJP4India National Executive Member & MLA Sh @Eatala_Rajender Garu & his wife in Munugode.
"I strongly condemn the attack on Smt & Sh Rajender garu & our Karyakartas," Kishan Reddy said in a tweet.
On Tuesday, TRS Working President and minister K T Rama Rao addressed a roadshow in support of the party candidate Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy.
Addressing a press conference in the evening, he highlighted the TRS government's 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme and 'Rythu Beema' life insurance scheme for farmers, among other welfare programmes.
He hit out at the NDA government at the Centre over the farm laws (since withdrawn), alleged failure to double farmers' income and others.
BJP General Secretary, incharge of party affairs in Telangana, Tarun Chugh complained to the Election Commission that the TRS government is using "illegal and foul means" in Munugode by-election with telephones of BJP leaders, mainly those working in the constituency, being tapped, a BJP release said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the poll on November 3.
State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj visited Munugode on Tuesday and held a review meeting with the district election officer.
Over 2.41 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the by-election.
The by-poll has been necessitated due to the resignation of sitting Congress MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy who had joined BJP. He is seeking re-election.
Though as many as 47 candidates are in the fray, the main contest is among the ruling TRS, BJP and the Congress.
The by-poll assumes massive political significance as the winner would get an edge ahead of next year's Legislative Assembly polls.
Rama Rao led the TRS campaign and the state's ruling party has deployed several state ministers, MLAs and other leaders covering every inch of Munugode.
Former MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy is the TRS candidate.
Union Minister Kishan Reddy, state BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, MLAs Eatala Rajender and M Raghunandan Rao, among others, campaigned extensively for the party.
Congress has fielded Palvai Sravanthi who is banking on the goodwill of her late father Palvai Govardhan Reddy who had served as Munugode MLA and as MP.
State Congress president and Lok Sabha member A Revanth Reddy and other leaders had canvassed in support of the her candidature.
The counting of votes would be taken up on November 6.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)