The Election Commission of India (ECI) has barred former Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for 48 hours. The action was taken over a complaint regarding derogatory comments made by KCR against Congress during a press meet in Sircilla on April 5, 2024, ECI said in an order dated May 1. 

KCR has been barred from “holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) etc. in connection with the ongoing elections for 48 hours from 8 pm on May 1,” as per the ECI order. 

The ECI was acting on a complaint from G Niranjan, senior vice president, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), alleging that KCR made “derogatory and objectionable statements” against the Congress party. According to ECI, KCR said that a “Congressman told [people] to sell Nirodhs (condoms) and papads for survival.” The BRS chief also used other derogatory words to refer to Congress leaders which loosely translates to someone who is good-for-nothing. 

The ECI had earlier issued a show cause notice to KCR on April 16 over the same remarks. It also noted that back in May 2019 too, it had issued an order to KCR over a public speech in Karimnagar where he violated the Model Code of Conduct, and asked him to be careful in the future. Another advisory was issued to KCR in October 2023, before the recent Telangana Assembly elections, ECI said.