Hyderabad:The state legislature decided to participate in a poll of the MLC elections in the local authorities constituency of Hyderabad on Wednesday to defeat the BJP and protect democratic values.
When the decision was announced, International Tax Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the poll had 112 voters and was targeted at 50. The BJP and BRS each have 24 voters, while Congress has 14. The BJP’s religious movement was both misleading and futile in the case of the BRS boycotting the election, he said.
He slammed the public appeal to BJP leader and trade union minister Bandi Sanjay, urging “Hindutva supporters” to vote for the BJP. He declared a flagrant violation of the Code of Conduct and announced that Congress would file a formal complaint with the Election Commission in order to seek immediate action.
Prabhakar condemned the BJP’s strategy, accusing Sanjay of the remarks aimed at public polarization. “If you don’t vote for the BJP, aren’t you Hindu? Is this the news given?” he asked. “This kind of remark is not only dangerous, but also undermines the democratic and secular spirit of our constitution.”
Prabhakar also claimed that the Flex banner with public messaging was being installed in the homes of Congress and BRS companies, accusing BJP supporters of trying to intimidate and influence voters.
“This election should be about governance and development, not religious incitement,” he asserted. “Parliament believes in democracy, and the BJP is embarking on the path of dictatorship.”
He criticized the BJP’s contradictions, saying: “They provoke with one hand and defend with the other. If honest, they would suspend its MP Nishikant Dubey because of his remarks on the Constitution and the judicial body rather than making symbolic condemnations.”
Prabhakar urged the Election Commission to take strict action on public appeals during the elections. “The Hyderabad MLC elections must not be a platform for Hindu politics. We will not allow them. We will work hard to uphold democracy,” he said.
