Maganti Sunitha accuses Congress of voter intimidation during Jubilee Hills bypoll

Hyderabad: BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha on Tuesday accused the ruling Congress of voter intimidation, bribery, and repeated violations of the Model Code of Conduct during the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election.

Speaking to the media, Sunitha alleged that Congress-backed groups were threatening voters across the constituency. She claimed that residents were warned not to step out of their homes unless they intended to vote for Congress.

“Rowdy individuals are moving about without consequence. People are being warned that they cannot go outside if they do not vote for Congress. Is this what we call democracy?” she asked. She urged the police to take unbiased action and restore confidence among voters.

Allegations of bribery and code violations

Sunitha further accused Congress leaders of bribing voters by distributing biryani packets with Rs 5,000 cash hidden inside. She said the atmosphere of fear was silencing residents and discouraging free voting.

She condemned the continued presence of Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and MLA Beerla Ilaiah in the constituency, stating that their stay during polling violated election norms.

Concerns about women’s safety and EC inaction

Sunitha also said she was being followed by groups of men, which she described as an attempt to intimidate and demean women. She questioned the Election Commission’s silence over the presence of what she termed as non-local Congress troublemakers.

“What is the Election Commission doing while non-local Congress leaders and troublemakers are freely operating here?” she asked.

Sunitha called on voters to come out in large numbers to prevent, in her words, “criminals from taking control.” She warned that after polling ends on the 14th, she would publicly name those involved in voter coercion.