KARIMNAGAR: Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday undertook "Deeksha" (sit-in protest) alleging that the ruling TRS party is planning to postpone Dubbak Assembly by-poll by hook or crook and is using police force to harass his party workers.
He demanded that the Siddipet Commissioner of Police Joel Davis be transferred immediately as the official was rude with him and some of senior leaders of BJP and prevented him from going to Dubbaka though he obtained permission from the Election Commission as star campaigner for the Assembly by- poll.
"Fearing defeat the TRS party is planning to get the polls postponed. Me, along with other leaders, were prevented from going to Dubbak (on Monday night). Despite me being an MP, the Siddipet Commissioner shoved me. We demand his immediate transfer," Sanjay told P T I.
He further alleged that the TRS party is trying to create a law and order problem in the constituency to get the by-poll postponed.
Sanjay demanded that central forces be deployed for the by-polls and the state government to remove all the "false cases" foisted against BJP workers.
Amid high drama, Police on Monday seized Rs 18.67 lakh cash in Siddipet town from the house of a relative of BJP candidate M Raghunandan Rao.
However, Rs 12.8 lakh out of the seized money was snatched away allegedly by some unidentified persons, police had said on Monday.
BJP workers in large numbers gathered in Siddipet and protested against the police, alleging that the police was trying to plant the money, a charge denied by them.
On hearing the news of the money seizure, Sanjay and other leaders were prevented in Siddipet from going to Dubbak.
Meanwhile, Siddipet police Commissioner Joel Davis dismissed allegations that police was trying to plant the cash bag at the residence of BJP leaders and termed the allegations as "absolutely wrong and rubbish".
He said around 20-30 people attacked the election team and snatched the money and separate cases were registered with regard to cash seizure and the snatching incident.
According to him, the attack on the team was planned and they would probe if any conspiracy angle was behind it.
On the police preventing Sanjay Kumar from entering Siddipet, the senior police official clarified saying he had personally requested and explained to the Karimnagar MP not to come keeping in view of the law and order situation there.
"But he came and was taken away by the police," Davis said, adding no political party leader was stopped from campaigning.
By-elections to the Dubbak Assembly constituency will be held on November 3.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy on Monday night met Raghunandan Rao in Siddipet who briefed him about the incident.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Sanjay Kumar and asked about the incident, BJP sources said on Tuesday.
State Finance Minister T Harish Rao, who is leading the TRS campaign in Dubbak, had dismissed allegations against the ruling party and said the BJP was trying to gain sympathy by claiming to be a victim.