Telangana Elections 2018: Opposition leaders allege phone tapping, selective searches of vehicles

New Delhi: Amid the rising political heat, Opposition parties in Telangana came out to allege that their phones were being tapped and selective searches of their vehicles were being carried out. The allegations were however refuted by the IT minister K T Rama Rao. Telangana Congress President Uttam Kumar Reddy had alleged on Wednesday that officials close to the caretaker CM K Chandrashekhar Rao were illegally tapping their phones. He said that the issue had been brought to the notice of the Election Commission. Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) president M Kodandaram while addressing reporters, also claimed that the caretaker government has acquired equipment with which they can tap and listen to Whatsapp calls also, apart from the regular phone calls. He alleged that earlier the government used to tap phone selectively but now they are tapping all the phones. Kodandaram also alleged that some 'shadow teams' were following him wherever he goes. He also alleged that the police selectively searches cars of opposition leaders, including his own and that of TDP leader Ramana. And Uttam Kumar Reddy tweeted: “Another @KTRTRS’s uncle Radhakrishna Rao has tasked his taskforce to specifically search (& harass) cars of opposition leaders only. All these illegal & partisan acts by KTR’s uncles now, will be dealt with very severely by the next @INCTelangana led government.”

Another @KTRTRS’s uncle Radhakrishna Rao has tasked his taskforce to specifically search (& harass) cars of opposition leaders only. All these illegal & partisan acts by KTR’s uncles now, will be dealt with very severely by the next @INCTelangana led government. #UnclesofKTR

— Uttam Kumar Reddy (@UttamTPCC) October 25, 2018

Reacting to the allegations, caretaker Minister for IT and Industries K T Rama Rao tweeted: "Stop being downright crass & cheap Are you insinuating that everyone who belong to a community is related & biased? I understand your anxiety about cars being searched (as in 2014 when you were caught with 3Cr cash stash), atleast uphold dignity of the post you hold.”

Stop being downright crass & cheap @UttamTPCC

Are you insinuating that everyone who belong to a community is related & biased? I understand your anxiety about cars being searched (as in 2014 when you were caught with 3Cr cash stash), atleast uphold dignity of the post you hold https://t.co/XEPo4I8C9K — KTR (@KTRTRS) October 25, 2018