Telangana police on Tuesday detained state Congress Working President Revanth Reddy ahead of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s election rally in Vikarabad district.
According to the reports, he was picked up from his residence earlier in the day to prevent any untoward incident during Rao’s rally in Kosgi, Kodangal.
He has been shifted to an undisclosed location.
Reddy, who quit the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to join the Congress earlier this year, represented Kodangal in the dissolved Assembly.
His detention came in view of Reddy’s threat to disrupt the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief’s rally. He had called for a shutdown to protest it.
Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar condemned the arrest saying that such intimidation goes against the spirit of free & fair elections.
“It’s highly condemnable that Telangana Police arrested Congress Working President & Kodangal MLA Revanth Reddy at 3am today because CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao is holding a rally there.
We appeal to EC that such intimidation goes against the spirit of free & fair elections,” he tweeted.
It’s highly condemnable that Telangana Police arrested Congress Working President & Kodangal MLA Revanth Reddy at 3am today because CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao is holding a rally there.
We appeal to EC that such intimidation goes against the spirit of free & fair elections. pic.twitter.com/BPXlZ1fwbq
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 4, 2018
The Election Commission had also issued a notice to Reddy for his threat.
The police has booked two cases against the Congress leader.
Tension prevailed in Kodangal following Reddy’s detention. The police have already imposed prohibitory orders in the town to prevent any untoward incident.
Elections to the 119-member Telangana Assembly are scheduled for December 7.
(With agency inputs)