TDP accuses TRS of misusing power to get AP voters' data to help Opposition

The Telugu Desam Party on Tuesday accused Telangana's ruling TRS of misusing power to help TDP's rival YSR Congress, after a Hyderabad-based firm was embroiled in a row over alleged data theft of Andhra Pradesh voters.

TDP national spokesperson Kambhampati Rammohan Rao said the 70 lakh people, said to be hit by the data leak, are party cadres.

In a statement, Rao said misinformation over the episode has created confusion among people and "caused damage" to the party. He urged Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and YSR Congress to not spread "misguided information" on the issue.

The TDP is "seeking advice" for legal action, he said.

The issue has gained political traction in the two states after Telangana police booked a Hyderabad-based firm for allegedly stealing voters' data through "Seva Mitra" mobile application, used by TDP to connect with its registered cadres.

On Monday, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged it was part of a conspiracy to help opposition YSR Congress headed by Jaganmohan Reddy.

However, YSR Congress has questioned how confidential data went into private hands, claiming the data theft is "part of a plan to remove names of those against the (TDP) government from electors' list."
According to Rao, "Telangana police has been put to task by TRS to get the data from TDP's App service providers in Hyderabad so that they can extract important information available of TDP to be passed to the opposition parties."
Stating that data of its 70 lakh cadres belongs to the TDP, he said this data has been collected over last two and half decades and "no government has right to steal this data."
Warning that the alleged data theft by opponents will have serious consequences, the TDP spokesperson said, "Data is the property of an individual, property of an organisation. We are seeking advise to take legal course of action."
Hyderabad has been made insecure with cybercrime, situation has worsened with no security for the companies doing business in Hyderabad, he said and added, "It is unfortunate that TRS has made it a personal agenda to attack companies serving TDP."