ECI ban on KCR from campaigning for 48 hours is creating sympathy wave: BRS candidate Manne Srinivas Reddy

MAHBUBNAGAR: BRS candidate from Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha constituency, Manne Srinivas Reddy, says that banning KCR from campaigning for 48 hours is creating a sympathy wave in the public.

Manne Srinivas Reddy said, "I am happy, In 2019 this opportunity (his candidature) given by KCR. I have completed my 5 years successfully in people's service. The ECI ban on KCR from campaigning for 48 hours is a good opportunity for the people. It affected the campaigning, but the public's sympathy is improving."

He hit out at the BJP and said that it was harassing opposition leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha and using ED as a weapon.

"The BJP is using ED as a weapon. Non-BJP candidates are being harassed by the ED. If they support the BJP, then within seconds the cases are closed," he added.

He stated that the claim of the BJP that the NDA would win 400 seats was overstated.

He further said, "400 seats for the NDA is impossible. INDIA bloc has good prospects. We are neither in the INDIA alliance nor with BJP, depending on the majority, we will do that. BRS has completed all the projects in the last 5 years. KCR has helped the paddy farmers and now the productivity is 3 crores metric tonnes. Earlier, it was 63 lakh metric tonnes."

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday banned former Telangana chief minister and BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao from campaigning for 48 hours, for making "derogatory and objectionable statements" against Congress.

According to an order notice issued by the ECI, "The Election Commission vide ECI Press Note number ECI/PN/23/2024 dated March 16, 2024, announced the schedule of General Election to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim and the provisions of Model Code of Conduct came into the force with immediate effect all over the country."

This comes after KCR at a press meet in Sircilla on April 5 referred to the congress leaders as 'sons of dogs'.

The Mahbubnagar Constituency in Telangana will see a replay of the 2019 general elections, as the three major parties have fielded the same candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections too.

Challa Vamsichand Reddy will again contest from Congress, DK Aruna will contest from the BJP and sitting MP Manna Srinivas Reddy will contest in the ticket of the BRS.

In the 2019 General Elections, Manne Srinivas Reddy contested from Telangana Rashtra Samiti (now BRS) and gathered 4,11,402 votes. DK Aruna from the BJP got 3,33,573 votes, while Congress candidate Vamshi Chand Reddy gathered 1,93,631 votes.

The Lok Sabha election in the 17 parliamentary constituencies of Telangana will be held on May 13 in a single phase. In the 2019 general election, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) won nine seats, BJP four, Congress three and AIMIM one seat.