Cops book 3 for 'bid to lure TRS MLAs', BJP rebuts

The Cyberabad Police have filed a first information report (FIR) against three persons who allegedly tried to coax four Telangana Rashtra Samiti legislators into defecting, even as Bharatiya Janata Party leadership in Telangana vehemently denied having any knowledge of the alleged poaching of TRS MLAs by their party.

Based on a complaint by Pilot Rohith Reddy, one of the legislators, cases under relevant sections criminal conspiracy, offering bribe and Prevention of Corruption Act-1988 were filed against the trio-Ramachandra Bharati@ Satish Sharma, Nanda Kumar and Simhayaji Swamy, according to the FIR copy.

A senior police official said the accused have been detained.

It further said Ramachandra Bharati, resident of Delhi and Nanda Kumar belong to the BJP.

As per the FIR copy, Rohith Reddy alleged that the accused offered him Rs 100 crore and in return the legislator had to leave the TRS and contest as a BJP candidate in the next assembly elections.

They also offered him civil contract works from the central government besides higher positions and monetary benefits.

The accused also threatened that if he does not heed, Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation cases will be filed against him.

They also warned that the TRS government in the state will be toppled.

They also asked Reddy to bring some more TRS MLAs by offering Rs 50 crore each to join the BJP.

'Heights of Desperation! In the want of 'attention', what the TRS needs to understand is that their 'scripted flop show' will only attract 'laughter' from the people of Telangana,' Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy tweeted Wednesday night.

The Telangana police on Wednesday claimed that they busted an attempt by three people who were allegedly trying to lure four ruling TRS MLAs to leave the party.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner Stephen Raveendra told reporters that the TRS legislators provided information to them that the trio was trying to entice them with several offers.

The police official said the four TRS MLAs -- G Balaraju, B Harshavardhan Reddy, R Kantha Rao and Rohith Reddy -- were allegedly being offered cash, posts and other incentives to switch loyalties.

The BJP leadership in Telangana vehemently denied having any knowledge of the alleged poaching of TRS MLAs by their party.

Telangana ministers and leaders of ruling TRS staged protests in different parts of the state on Wednesday night against the alleged attempt by the 'BJP to buy TRS MLAs'.

The TRS ministers and their followers also staged a massive protest on the national highway connecting Hyderabad and Vijayawada.