The Income Tax (IT) Department officials are carrying out searches at the residence of Telangana Congress leader K Laxma Reddy in Hyderabad on Thursday. The raids come amid senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's campaign in the state. Besides the IT Department, the Election Commission of India (ECI) officials are also conducting the searches.
Reddy is the Congress candidate for the Maheshwaram assembly segment for the November 30 assembly polls. The officials have not yet revealed the reasons behind the raids.
The officials are also conducting raids on the premises of Badangpet Municipal Corporation Mayor Chigurintha Parijata Narasimha Reddy since morning in the city, according to media reports. "We are appealing to the people of Telangana that they should be aware that the BRS and the BJP is one party... BRS is BJP's back-end party," TPCC spokesperson Gouri Satish told about the raids.
#WATCH | Telangana: Income Tax Department conducts raids in Hyderabad and other places. Searches are underway at 10 places.
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023
(Visuals from Maheshwaram, premises of Congress Candidate for upcoming state elections, K Lakshma Reddy) pic.twitter.com/xnrmM7yCQY
BJP reacts to Rahul's jibe
Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day tour to Telangana, mocked the BJP's promise to make a backward caste candidate as Chief Minister of Telangana. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wondered how the saffron party could do so when it was going to garner only a meagre percentage of votes. "You will get two per cent votes here and how can you make a chief minister?" he asked.
Rahul's response has irked the BJP, which accused him of insulting the aspirations of backward classes who earn their livelihood with hard work.
The saffron party said it was working to fulfil the social, economic and political aspirations of the backward classes and alleged that Rahul Gandhi was not able to digest Narendra Modi, who belongs to BC sections, becoming Prime Minister. "If Congress continues to insult backward sections in Telangana like this, it will be confined to four seats in the coming elections," BJP leader and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said.
Congress promises
The Congress has promised women in Telangana can benefit up to Rs 4,000 as social pension, savings on LPG cylinder and free travel in government buses, if voted to power.
AICC former chief Rahul Gandhi, addressing a women gathering at Ambatipalli village near Medigadda (Laxmi) barrage of Kaleshwaram project, said the Congress has decided to "give back" all the money allegedly "looted" by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
"Telangana women were the most affected by the loot of the chief minister here. The Congress party has decided to deposit the amount looted by the chief minister in your bank accounts," Rahul said.
He said, as the first step, every month, Rs 2,500 will be deposited as social pension into women's bank accounts. Also, Rs 1,500 will be saved as the Congress, if voted to power, will supply a LPG cylinder, which is now costing Rs 1,000, at Rs 500 and another Rs 1,000 by way of free travel on government buses.
"With all these you will benefit Rs 4,000 every month. This is called Parajala sarkar (people's government)," he said.
