Telangana offers assistance to Chhattisgarh for assembly polls

The Telangana government has offered assistance to Chhattisgarh, which goes to polls on November 11 and 20, such as sealing the border to ensure bogus voters do not enter and monitor transportation of cash and liquor into that state, Chief Secretary S K Joshi said Monday.

An official release said in view of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat conducted a video conference with the CSs, CEOs, DGPs, of the respective states.

Joshi informed the CEC that the officers of the state were already in touch with their counterparts in Bijapur and Sukuma, two border districts of Chhattisgarh with Telangana.

Joshi further assured them of all possible help.

He said consultation with officials was already in process and said "all of us are working together with better coordination and understanding."

The chief secretary informed officials about arrangements made for supporting the conduct of free and fair elections in Chhattisgarh.

Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar, Director General of Police Mahender Reddy and other senior officials participated.

Kumar told reporters that the meeting discussed the need for coordination on law and order, ban on liquor and also Left wing extremism in Chhattisgarh.