Hyderabad, July 9 (IANS) A woman legislator of the ruling Congress party and her husband were arrested Friday for violating the election code, police said.
P. Padmavathi, a member of legislative council, and her husband P. Bhaskar were arrested in Warangal district for distributing sarees to commemorate the 61st birth anniversary of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Thursday.
Since the election code is in operation in the district for July 27 by-elections to Warangal West assembly constituency, police filed a case against them on a complaint by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).
TRS leaders alleged that the Congress leaders were trying to woo voters by distributing clothes and other items.
Padmavathi, a loyalist of YSR’s son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, told reporters that she distributed clothes to the poor on the occasion of YSR’s birth anniversary and it had nothing to do with the elections.
Warangal West along with 11 other assembly constituencies in Telangana are scheduled to go to polls July 27.
Meanwhile, state chief electoral officer (CEO) I.V. Subba Rao said the cases against TRS MP Vijayashanti and legislator T. Jayaprakash Reddy for making provocative statements would continue.
He said that the Election Commission found that both the leaders violated the election code.
Police arrested Vijayashanti and Jayaprakash Reddy July 3 for making inflammatory speeches. They were later released on bail.
