Tip-off from TDP led to Revanth arrest?

Hyderabad: While the TDP claims that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is the architect of Cash-for-Vote episode involving arrest of TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy and the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau as the organiser, spicy theories are making rounds in the political circles regarding the alleged sting operation which had not only created a political storm in the TDP but has now even caught the attention of the Central Government.

According to one theory, the government executed the sting operation following an alert from the TDP sources and if that had not happened, there was every chance for the TDP candidate Vem Narender Reddy win the seat. It is also being said that if the issue did not take the dimension it assumed leading to the arrest of Revanth, at least five MLAs would have voted in favour of the TDP candidate.

It may be mentioned here that both Revanth and E Dayakar Rao were putting pressure on TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu for a ticket to their candidates Narender Reddy and Narsa Reddy. Narsa Reddy dropped from the race when he came to know that he may have to spend huge amounts to win. Revanth, who was keen about Narender Reddy, assured Naidu that he had got assurance of one vote from a Congress MLA in Ranga Reddy district and would manage another vote also.

Following this, Naidu decided to give the ticket to the candidate recommended by Revanth Reddy. Sources say that the flamboyant Revanth told Dayakar about how he has been successful in mobilising some votes in favour of Narender and also told him that some MLAs from TRS were willing to vote for TDP.

Political circles say that Dayakar Rao during informal discussions with a TRS minister on the ensuing elections and the statements that many TDP leaders would indulge in cross voting had told him that TDP was sure that the situation would be in reverse order and some TRS MLAs would vote for TDP candidate. Alerted by this information the Telangana government had pressed the intelligence wing into action and kept a close watch on all those who were under scanner.

This included the nominate Anglo Indian MLA Elvis Stephenson. Another theory says that a car with Mahanadu sticker had gone to the house of Stephenson a day before the sting operation took place.