Telangana State Road Transport Corporation’s designated voter K. Venkata Narayana was replaced by the then MD Sajjanar

metro india news  I hyderabad

The election of former Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president Jagan Mohan Rao has sparked serious allegations of large-scale irregularities, misuse of official machinery, and direct political interference by leaders of the previous Telangana government. Despite winning by a narrow margin of one vote, reports indicate that at least 20 votes were illegally cast through proxy arrangements, influencing the final result in Rao’s favour.

According to documents and testimonies, the election process was manipulated by altering the official voter list just days before the poll. On September 30, 2023, the Supreme Court-appointed Single Member Committee, led by Justice L. Nageshwar Rao, submitted an official list of eligible voters. This list was duly published on the HCA website and notice board. However, within a week, on October 7, HCA issued a revised list replacing 68 voters. The election was held within two weeks of this controversial revision.

Of the 68 newly added voters, more than 30 were linked to central and state government institutions, with at least 20 reportedly under direct control of the Telangana state government. It is alleged that these votes were not cast by authorised representatives but by others acting in their place. In one case, TSRTC’s designated voter K. Venkata Narayana was replaced by the then MD Sajjanar. Similarly, in the GHMC, the vote was reportedly cast by Ronald Rose instead of the listed representative.

These alleged irregularities gave Rao the edge in a closely contested election, with the final tally showing he secured 63 votes. With a minimum of 20 votes now under question, critics argue the result lacks legitimacy. The last-minute changes are being attributed to direct interference by former ministers K.T. Rama Rao, K. Kavitha, T. Harish Rao, and MP Santosh Kumar, who allegedly orchestrated the move to install their preferred candidate at the helm of the HCA and retain political influence over the cricketing body.

Rao’s eligibility itself has come under scrutiny. Before October 2023, he reportedly had no affiliation with any cricket club. However, shortly after the new voter list was released, he was appointed secretary of Sri Chakra Cricket Club, replacing Rajendra Yadav. This sudden shift enabled him to qualify for the election. Yet, HCA rules mandate that candidates must have participated in association meetings prior to contesting, and no such meetings were held during this brief period.

Further violations involved the participation of senior bureaucrats and police officials in the voting process, despite Supreme Court and Justice Lodha Committee guidelines that bar IAS and IPS officers, MPs, and ministers from holding or influencing positions in sports bodies. It is alleged that several such officials were coerced into voting under political pressure. In one instance, IPS officer Sajjanar is said to have privately admitted voting due to instructions from higher authorities.

The developments have triggered demands for an impartial investigation. Telangana Cricket Association (TCA) general secretary Guruva Reddy criticised the process, stating that Rao was ineligible and elected through fraud. He also accused former ministers and then election officer Sampath Kumar of colluding to manipulate the outcome. Reddy called for their immediate arrest and investigation.