CM encouraging violence: Congress

hyderabad: congress mla k raghuveera reddy has alleged that the violence during the local body elections held in august was being encouraged by chief minister n chandrababu naidu as the telugu desam received a severe drubbing in the polls. initiating a discussion on violence in the assembly on monday, he said in all 18 congress workers were killed and false cases have been registered against several party workers and sympathisers for having campaigned and voted for congress candidates.the government, he said, had misused the police, who not only victimised those who voted against the tdp candidates but also openly worked as agents for the ruling party candidates. the congress party has also demanded an ex-gratia of rs 1 lakh to those who were killed in the postpoll violence and rs 5 lakh to the wife of slain mandal parishad president bala satish of yaddiki mandal in kurnool district. jittery over the reports that it was not likely to fare well in the polls, redddy alleged that the tdp had violated all norms and tried to lure the voters with money and liquor. reddy also criticised naidu for going on a whirlwind tour to campaign for party candidates. he said there was no precedence of any chief minister going on campaign for local body polls. taking a dig at the unanimous elections, he said the ruling party had used all means to achieve the so-called unanimous elections. the congress candidates were kidnapped, purchased and were threatened, he alleged. he said the home minister, t devender goud was actively involved in the ensuring the party candidates election as the zptc president though they did not get the requisite majority. the home minister objected to the remarks of reddy and said that if the members sends the list of cases he had read out, the government could give a point-by-point reply. he urged the member not to make wild remarks.