Independent candidate in Jayanagar accuses Cong workers of attacking him

Ravikrishna Reddy, an independent candidate fighting the Jayanagar bypolls, has alleged that Congress workers attacked him and his supporters on Wednesday night.

Reddy claimed to have received information that Congress workers were distributing saris for free in violation of the model code of conduct. He informed the Election Commission officials and the local police to seize the freebies, stored in a house in Marenahalli.

"The Congress workers threatened me and my supporters," Reddy said. "They also snatched my mobile phone when I tried taking a video of what has happening."

Reddy said the party workers shifted the freebies to a different place before the police and Election Commission officials could take action. The officials and the police, for their part, said they have not received a written complaint with regard to the incident.

Election to the Jayanagar constituency was put off following the death of BJP candidate B N Vijayakumar. The others in the fray are Soumya Reddy of the Congress and the BJP's B N Prahalad.