Ahead of Telangana elections, I-T searches at residences, offices of Congress candidate Srinivas Reddy

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Ahead of November 30 assembly polls, the Income Tax department officials Thursday carried out searches at the residences and offices of Congress candidate P Srinivas Reddy in Hyderabad and in Khammam.

Reddy is contesting from Palair assembly segment in Khammam District and was scheduled to file his nomination papers today. Followers of the Congress leader raised slogans protesting the searches in Khammam.

Talking to mediapersons, Reddy said searches began at 5.05 AM by "hundreds" of officials with the help of police. "I know that this kind of searches will be carried out against me. These searches are being carried out on the advice of BRS, which is BJP's B Team. I said the same thing in my Yesterday's press conference. I wanted to file nomination today. Deliberately, in order to create fear psychosis among the party workers, they are carrying out searches," he said.

He alleged that the BRS is the "B Team" of BJP, and that the searches were being conducted at the ruling party's behest.

The Congress leader, at a press conference, on Wednesday indicated that the Central agencies such as Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate may conduct raids aiming at him.

Reddy alleged that during the past several days, the Central agencies were focusing their 'searches' on Congress leaders.

The ruling BRS government in Telangana and BJP colluded in the "attacks" on Congress party leaders, he further alleged. "I request all my followers not to resort to any activity as they (Central agencies) may trouble me and my companies also," Reddy had said.

Last week, I-T officials searched the residences of K Laxma Reddy, Maheshwaram assembly segment Congress candidate and Badangpet Municipal Corporation Mayor Chigurintha Parijata Narasimha Reddy.

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Thursday filed nominations from Kamareddy and Gajwel assembly constituencies.

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Accompanied by sitting Kamareddy MLA Gampa Govardhan and other party leaders, Rao submitted his nomination at the office of the returning officer in Kamareddy, official sources said.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister also filed his nomination from Gajwel, which he is representing in the outgoing assembly.

Kamareddy is set to witness an exciting contest as the Congress has fielded state Congress president A Revanth Reddy as its candidate from the constituency to take on KCR.

BJP MLA Eatala Rajender, a former BRS leader, is taking on KCR in Gajwel, while Congress has fielded Thumkunta Narsa Reddy as its nominee in the constituency.

BRS Working President and KCR's son K T Rama Rao filed his nomination from Sircilla, which he currently represents in the assembly.

State Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao, a nephew of KCR, submitted his nomination from Siddipet and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka filed his nomination from Madhira.

Many other candidates of all parties filed their nominations on Thursday as it is believed to be an auspicious day.

Polling for the 119-member Telangana assembly would be held on November 30 and the counting of votes would be taken up on December 3. (With inputs from PTI)