Hyderabad : In a significant development, the Income Tax Department has initiated raids on Vivek Venkataswamy, Congress’ Chennur Assembly candidate and one of the wealthiest contestants. The raids, reportedly based on recent transactions by Vivek Venkataswamy, come amid suspicion regarding a fund transfer amounting to Rs 8 crore.

News reports suggest that Income Tax (IT) sleuths have raised concerns about the aforementioned fund transfer of Rs 8 crore, prompting the initiation of these raids. Hyderabad Police, in response to instructions from the Election Commission, froze an online transaction worth Rs 8 crore involving Visaka Industries and another company. The police visited IDBI Bank’s Basheerbagh branch to inquire about the alleged transaction and subsequently froze it. Additionally, the police informed both the Income-Tax department and the joint director of the Directorate of Enforcement in the Hyderabad zone.

The ongoing raids are being conducted at various properties owned by Vivek Venkataswamy in Hyderabad, Mancherial, and other locations. Notably, Vivek had recently resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and joined the Congress party. The sudden raids have sparked protests among Vivek’s followers and Congress activists, who gathered outside his residence in Mancherial, expressing their discontent and raising slogans against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Vivek Venkataswamy, popularly known as the industrialist politician, is the founder and chairman of Visaka Industries Ltd, holding shares valued at Rs 285 crore in the company. According to the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission during his nomination for the Chennur constituency in Mancherial district, Vivek has declared movable and immovable assets totaling Rs 606.66 crore. His movable assets amount to Rs 328.91 crore, while his wife G Saroja possesses assets worth Rs 51.84 crore.

The 66-year-old former Member of Parliament (MP), Vivek Venkataswamy, who witnessed a significant increase in assets since 2014, when he contested for Lok Sabha from Peddapalli, is yet to respond to the ongoing raids. Further details are awaited as the situation unfolds.

Hyderabad : In a landmark move, the first vote for the upcoming November 30 Assembly elections in Telangana was cast in Hyderabad today. 91-year-old Annapurna Chunduri exercised her franchise in the Khairatabad Assembly constituency, availing the newly introduced home voting facility. The senior citizen cast her vote in the presence of polling staff and political party representatives, ensuring the utmost secrecy of her ballot.

The Election Commission of India, for the first time, introduced the home voting facility for senior citizens aged 80 and above, as well as persons with disabilities (PwD) with 40 percent or more disability in the state’s assembly elections. This initiative aims to make the voting process more accessible and inclusive.

The home voting process is scheduled to run from November 21 to November 27, covering all 119 assembly segments across Telangana. Eligible voters will participate in Nagakurnool and Kollapur segments on November 21 and 22, while home polling will be conducted in the Achampet constituency on November 23 and 25.

This pioneering initiative, previously introduced during Karnataka elections earlier this year, requires eligible voters to apply to the returning officer (RO) through Form 12-D. The voting process will be videographed, and the footage will be submitted to election officials, ensuring transparency and accountability in the home voting process.

Hyderabad : In a scathing critique, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao of transforming the once “revenue-surplus Telangana into a revenue-deficit state” over the past decade. Speaking during the BJP’s election campaign in Malkajgiri constituency, Hyderabad, Sitharaman alleged that the state has fallen into a debt-trap, burdening future generations with the responsibility of repaying substantial debts.

During a Meet and Greet program with retired defense employees and their families, Sitharaman expressed shock at the state government’s imposition of 125 percent taxes on the canteen stores department for defense service personnel. She lamented that funds meant for public welfare were diverted for other purposes, leading to a decline in development.

Sitharaman further revealed that Telangana is among the states opposing the proposal to include petrol, diesel, and liquor under the Goods and Services Tax (GST). She criticized KCR for not leveraging the state’s initial financial strength for progress and accused him of using resources for personal and party gains.

Addressing a news conference, Sitharaman highlighted concerns about the Kaleshwaram project, calling attention to the reported collapse of its pillars. She emphasized KCR’s unfulfilled promise of making a Dalit leader Telangana’s first chief minister, pointing out the dismissal of Deputy Chief Minister T. Rajaiah within six months of appointment.

The union minister criticized the state government for announcing a Rs 3,300 crore allocation for the development of backward classes but allegedly spending only Rs 77 crore. Sitharaman raised alarm over the significant number of vacant positions in Telangana’s universities and claimed there are approximately one lakh vacancies in state government departments. Additionally, she pointed out the failure to deliver on the promise of unemployment allowances, with Telangana’s literacy rate lagging behind the national average at 66 percent.

As the election campaign intensifies, Sitharaman’s strong statements shed light on the economic challenges and unmet promises under KCR’s leadership, prompting concerns about the state’s financial health and governance.