Telugu Desam Party today asked the Election Commission to take effective steps to check misuse of official machinery by the ruling Congress and use of money power in the May 8 bypolls in Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh.
“It is widely believed that the election process is sought to be influenced through money power by some candidates and it is estimated that huge amounts will be spent for this purpose”, TDP Parliamentary Party leader Nama Nageswara Rao told Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi.
In a memorandum to the Commission, he said there was every likelihood of misuse of official machinery as large number of ministers are deployed by the State government in the elections.
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The TDP also urged the EC to restrict Saakshi television and newspaper, owned by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, from launching “personal vilification, rumour mongering and mudslinging”.
The memorandum sought deployment of Special Forces in sensitive booths to ensure peaceful polling.
The bypolls are being held as Mr. Jagan and his mother Ms. Vijayalakshmi quit as MP and MLA from the two seats, respectively. Both are seeking re-election.
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