EC suspends Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar for pre-result meeting with Congress' Revnath Reddy (WATCH)
In a stern message, Election Commission suspended Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar for going and meeting state Congress chief Revanth Reddy even as counting was on in the state.
FollowAnjani Kumar, the Director General of Police in Telangana, was suspended by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday for alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct and relevant conduct rules. This decision comes in the midst of the Telangana assembly election in 2023, as reported by the news agency ANI, citing insider sources.
During the ongoing assembly elections in Telangana, Anjani Kumar, along with Sanjay Jain, the state police nodal officer, and Mahesh Bhagwat, nodal officer for expenditure, reportedly engaged in activities that led to the suspension. The trio had met Anumula Revanth Reddy, a contestant from the Congress party, at the residence of the state Congress president in Hyderabad. The meeting involved the presentation of a flower bouquet to Reddy, according to information provided by ANI.
The Election Commission's decision to suspend the Telangana DGP indicates the seriousness with which electoral misconduct is being addressed. The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines that aims to ensure a level playing field for all political parties during elections. Violations of these rules can lead to strict actions, as seen in this case with the suspension of Anjani Kumar. The incident involving the meeting with a contesting candidate has raised concerns about the impartiality of law enforcement officials during the electoral process.
Revanth Reddy, the prominent face of Congress' election campaign, directly confronted Telangana Chief Minister and BRS leader K Chandrashekar Rao, posing a formidable challenge. As the election results unfold, the Congress appears to be on track to secure a straightforward majority in Telangana, positioning itself to establish the party's inaugural government in the southern state.
In the electoral battleground of Kamareddy, where Reddy is in a direct face-off with KCR, the BRS leader found himself trailing after several rounds of voting. Additionally, Reddy showcased a lead in Kodangal, the second constituency he contested in.
As of Sunday, during the ongoing vote counting process, the Congress held a lead in 65 assembly segments. The crucial threshold for forming a government stands at 60 seats, and the party seems to be on a promising trajectory towards achieving a majority.
