CPI says Telangana election results 'unexpected', alleges TRS distributed money to influence voters

Hyderabad: The Communist Party of India (CPI) Tuesday alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) resorted to “huge distribution of money and liquor” to influence voters, and described the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party’s performance in the Assembly polls as a “technical victory and not a moral one”. [caption id=“attachment_5604631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of K Chandrasekhar Rao. AFP[/caption] “It’s not expected”, CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy told PTI on the Congress-led alliance of which his party, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) were a part, coming a cropper in the 7 December polls. “Huge distribution of money, particularly on the last day (before the election)…purchasing votes..this must have resulted in this victory for TRS,” Reddy alleged. “He (TRS chief Chandrasekhar Rao) played the Telangana sentiment card once again,” he said. “Most important: this election was not free and fair. Distribution of money and liquor… I don’t think it’s a moral victory for him (Rao), it’s only a technical victory for TRS,” Reddy said. He said the Opposition alliance should have arrived at the seat-sharing deal earlier than they actually did, adding it would have give the grouping more time for campaigning.