Amaravati, Oct 20 The YSRCP state coordinator, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, on Tuesday said alleged “attacks, intimidation” and criminal cases will not force the party out of the ongoing local body polls.
The opposition party leader demanded an inquiry by a sitting High Court judge into alleged police firing in Pulivendula recently, claiming that officers opened fire without provocation while opposition candidates were trying to file nominations.
“Attacks, intimidation and criminal cases will not force YSRCP out of elections,” Reddy said in a YSRCP press release.
He alleged that the TDP-led coalition government was “preventing nominations, coercing withdrawals and engineering rejections” before celebrating “unopposed victories.”
“Chandrababu Naidu and his media were portraying this exclusion as public support while blaming YSRCP for violence committed by ruling-party groups,” he said.
“Police were going further than TDP workers, directly attacking and obstructing candidates,” he alleged.
According to the YSRCP leader, the Preventive Detention Act was invoked against senior Dalit leader Rajaiah in Duggirala, within IT Minister Nara Lokesh’s Mangalagiri constituency, to prevent his participation in the forthcoming MPP election.
Caste and no-dues certificates were being delayed while candidates faced threats, he alleged.
In Kadapa, Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that police stopped around 40 to 50 prospective candidates and 10 to 12 nominations were rejected.
The government was celebrating uncontested results after systematically removing electoral competition, he claimed.
“This organised intimidation required judicial scrutiny and immediate SEC intervention. YSRCP would continue its legal battle up to the Supreme Court, expose government failures and stand collectively against obstruction,” Reddy said.
On October 19, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP approached the Supreme Court against the alleged “violence, attacks and obstruction of its candidates during the nomination process” of the local body elections in Andhra Pradesh.
The opposition party sought an extension of the nomination deadline and a fresh opportunity for candidates who were allegedly prevented from filing their nomination papers due to “violence and intimidation by ruling party leaders.”
A Special Leave Petition (SLP) was filed by YSRCP General Secretary L Appi Reddy, challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s October 18 order refusing to extend the nomination deadline, which ended on the same day, said the press release.
The petition was filed in the Supreme Court through Advocate-on-Record Mahfooz A Nazki.
The party brought to the notice of the Supreme Court the alleged violent incidents that took place in Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa and Tirupati during the nomination process.
It alleged that YSRCP candidates were attacked, threatened and prevented from reaching nomination centres.
In Kadapa, nomination papers were allegedly forcibly snatched and torn, while in Tirupati Municipal Corporation, nine YSRCP candidates were allegedly prevented from filing their nominations, the release claimed.
YSRCP requested the Supreme Court to direct the authorities to provide adequate police protection to candidates and ensure that they can file their nominations “without fear”.
On Tuesday, Appi Reddy wrote a series of letters to the State Election Commissioner, appealing to him to address the alleged collusion of the Andhra Pradesh Police force with the ruling TDP in hindering the opposition party candidates from filing nominations and “facilitating attacks by ruling-party elements”.
He claimed that police are initiating politically motivated bind-over proceedings, “registering false cases and making illegal arrests of YSRCP leaders and cadres” during the ongoing municipal, MPTC and ZPTC polls.
He requested SEC Anil Chandra Punetha to immediately remove such police officials from election duties, order an independent inquiry and take stringent action.
Appi Reddy also requested a fresh opportunity for “obstructed” YSRCP candidates to file nominations in the urban local bodies.
He requested Punetha to implement High Court orders in adopting and supplying electoral rolls updated up to July 15 during the ongoing local bodies polls.
Meanwhile, the TDP posted a message on X claiming YSRCP’s agenda as “Rowdyism and winning elections to obstruct development.”
“Making Andhra Pradesh number one in the country in development-that’s our (TDP) agenda. With the enthusiasm of the 2024 elections, people should vote and ensure the alliance wins. We’ll take care of the rowdies’ affairs,” said the ruling party in the post.
“The YSRCP president trusted rowdies, thugs, and criminals,” TDP claimed.
(PTI News)
