TRS Lodges Complaint With EC Against Rajagopal Reddy

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Sunday lodged a complaint with the State Election Commission against the BJP's Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy claiming that he had indulged in a criminal quid pro quo by accepting a contract worth Rs. 18,000 crore to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.

TRS MP Badugu Lingaiah Yadav, MLA Gadari Kishore, and party general secretaries Srinivas Reddy and Soma Bharath called on the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj at his residence and submitted a memorandum seeking that it disqualify Reddy from contesting in the Munugodu by-election.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Kishore said that Reddy had openly confessed in a news channel that he had taken a contract of Rs. 18,000 crore and had in return joined the BJP.

The voluntary statement given by Reddy was nothing but admission of a serious illegal offence involving a criminal quid pro quo, Kishore claimed.

"Reddy has humiliated democracy and abused the trust of the Munugodu people by indulging in the quid pro quo. His action is not only immoral in terms of the code of conduct for political leaders, but also a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. In addition, Reddy has also committed offences under the Representation of People Act, and breached the oath of office he took to be a legislator in the year 2018. Hence the Election Commission should order a criminal investigation as well as initiate proceedings to debar him from the political process, including from contesting the Munugodu by-election," the TRS leader said.