The Election Commission of India has asked the BJP candidate in Telangana's Munugode to clarify transactions worth Rs 5.24 crore to many bank accounts ahead of the by-election in this constituency.
K Rajagopal Reddy, the BJP candidate, allegedly sent the huge amount from a family-owned mining firm to the bank accounts of 23 people in the Munugode assembly constituency.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader Soma Bharath Kumar had filed the complaint with the Election Commission against Mr Reddy, alleging the money was meant to be deployed for voter inducement.
"...As a transferor, if done by you or under your direction by family-owned company as alleged, it is duty cast on you to ensure that this fund transferred to 23 bank accounts are not used for voter inducement, as alleged, which is a corrupt practice," the Election Commission said in a notice to the BJP candidate, seeking his response.
Mr Reddy has been given time till 4 pm tomorrow to reply. The bypoll is on November 3.
Mr Reddy said the TRS' lies are out in the open. "People of Munugode can't be fooled by your lies anymore. I have brought you to your knees in front of Munugode to plead for their vote. The BJP will protect the people of Telangana from your family rule and put an end to your atrocities," Mr Reddy tweeted.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, or KCR, whose party made the allegations against the BJP candidate in Munugode, has also accused the BJP of trying to buy their MLAs.
KCR in a rally today alleged "brokers from Delhi" offered crores of rupees to buy some 20-30 MLAs.
Responding to the allegations, BJP leader and Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said, "Today, you call them Delhi brokers. I am asking, through broker-ism you only encouraged all the MLAs who have joined your party earlier."
"I am conveying one thing. We have no intention of toppling your government. You may have the idea of toppling your own government and acquire sympathy so that it becomes an agenda in the elections...Already you have lost respect among people," Mr Reddy said, news agency PTI reported.
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