Manugode bypoll: ECI issues notice to Telangana Minister over 'no vote, no scheme' election speech

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 29 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued notice to Telangana Minister Jagadish Reddy over his election speech in the bypoll-bound Munugode.
The Minister has been given time till Saturday to tender an explanation to the ECI regarding the speech which is violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Reddy said that welfare schemes in the state will be stopped if the people do not vote for the TRS' car symbol.
Jagadish Reedy during a public address on October 25 said, "The election is not between Kusukuntla Prabhakar and Rajgopal Reddy, it is the election for whether to continue the pension of Rs 2000 or not. It is for whether to continue Rythu Bandhu the Rs 3000 pension for physically challenged persons or not, the people who are willing to continue the schemes vote for CAR (TRS Symbol) and may stand with CM KCR. PM Narendra Modi ji said no to Rs 3000 pension, and inspite of that KCR said he will definitely give. People who are not interested in the pension can vote for PM Modi."
Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded the Election Commission to deploy central forces at polling booths in the Munugode assembly constituency by-election.
Telangana BJP spokesperson Rachana Reddy met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), of Telangana, and gave representation on various issues related to the upcoming bypoll.
Reddy said the Telangana BJP requested Election Commission to make arrangements for free and fair election. They urged EC to make arrangements for a web-casting/streaming facility in every polling booth to avoid any kind of malpractice.
Notably, BJP national president JP Nadda is scheduled to address a public meeting in the bypoll-bound Munugode assembly on October 31.
Meanwhile, BJP national vice president DK Aruna on Wednesday denied any involvement of the BJP in the luring of MLAs as alleged by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and said that that the whole drama was created by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao due to the fear of a loss in Munugode bypoll.
The BJP leader further alleged that KCR and his family have looted crores of rupees from people of Telangana in the name the of Kaleshwaram Project, Palamuru Rangareddy Project, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya and others.
Earlier on Wednesday, Telangana Police conducted raids at a farmhouse in Ranga Reddy district of the state.
Cyberabad Commissioner of Police Stephen Raveendra said they received information "from TRS MLAs that they were being lured" and added that they noticed three persons.
The Manugode bypoll is scheduled to take place on November 3. (ANI)