The Congress on Monday asked the Election Commission to investigate the Munugode bypoll in Telangana where obscene amounts of money and liquor were allegedly used to influence voters.

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said: “Money and liquor were flowing. The result is out and we accept it. A defeat is a defeat. But if the Election Commission doesn’t stop this trend, this model will be implemented in all the constituencies. This is murder of democracy.”

Conceding that the Congress’s losing spree in Telangana was worrying, Ramesh said: “But we cannot match these ‘maharathis’ (champions) in this game. Both TRS and BJP distributed cash. Even if we have that kind of resources, we won’t try to win elections by distributing money.”

Videos circulating on social media suggested that each voter was given Rs 4,000-Rs 5,000 by the two parties.

Ramesh said: “Election in Telangana has become all about contracts and contractors.”