On a day BRS legislator and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha was to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi for questioning in the Delhi liquor policy case, posters were spotted in Hyderabad mocking top BJP leader B L Santhosh.
“WANTED,” the posters reportedly stuck at two different spots of the city declared in bold letters with a message below - “Talented in MLA poaching. Reward – Sanction of Modi's promise of Rs 15,00,000.”
“MLA poaching” apparently refers to the attempted case of luring four BRS MLAs into the BJP in October, in an alleged bid to topple the KCR government in Telangana. An SIT formed by the state government to probe the matter had summoned BJP national general secretary (organisation) Santhosh for questioning in November. Reviewing the petitions against the summons and the probe, the Telangana High Court had put a stay on the notices and in December, disbanded the SIT, and handed over the case to the CBI.
Declining to abide, the KCR government challenged the order in the Supreme Court.
The fresh posters appear to be a continuation of a smear campaign against the BJP, which made use of banners and hoardings to attack the saffron party during the visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to Hyderabad.
The Telangana BJP accuses the ruling party as being behind the “vilifying drive.”
Meanwhile, Kavitha declined to appear before the ED sleuths and instead sent an emissary citing her reasons, including an appeal she made in the Supreme Court against the summons. The former MP was questioned by the ED once already on Saturday.
Published 16 March 2023, 11:54 IST