MLC poll: contestants with same name create confusion

Candidates with similar names in the fray for the forthcoming elections to the Teachers constituency of the Legislative Council has created confusion not only among voters, but also among the officials of the East Godavari district.

Sitting MLC and government whip Kalidindi Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Raju alias Chaitanya Raju is contesting the election, for whom Paruchuri Krishna Rao of the Pragati Group of Educational Institutions is giving a tough competition at the campaign-level.

Among the other contestants in the poll fray, there are persons with the name P. Krishna Rao and one is K.V.V. Satyanarayana Raju alias Sri Chaitanya Raju. The sitting MLC is heading Chaitanya Group of Educational Institutions and popularly known as Chaitanya Raju. In his affidavit, he mentioned his name as K.V.V. Satyanarayana Raju (Chaitanya Raju) and urged the officials to put it on the ballot intact. The other contestant Kommireddi Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Raju (Sri Chaitanya Raju) too urged the officials to mention his name as K.V.V. Satyanarayana Raju (Sri Chaitanya Raju) on the ballot, as he claimed that he was popularly known as Sri Chaitanya Raju.

Strong objection

The sitting MLC, however, took strong objection to this move and filed a petition with the Returning Officer and Collector of East Godavari district H. Arun Kumar stating that the request from one Mr. Sri Chaitanya Raju was aimed at creating confusion among the voters. Doubting the intention of the rival candidate, Mr. Chaitanya Raju urged the officials not to accept the alias name of Mr. Kommireddi Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Raju.

Inquiry

“We have ordered an inquiry into the issue of the name of Sri Chaitanya Raju. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Kakinada, who has conducted the inquiry, has found that Kommireddi Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Raju is known as Raju, but not as Sri Chaitanya Raju. After examining the matter carefully, we have issued orders to ignore his alias name on the ballot paper,” says Mr. Arun Kumar.

Though there are three more persons with the name P. Krishna Rao in the poll fray, Mr. Paruchuri Krishna Rao has no such problem as his name would appear on the ballot as Dr. Paruchuri Krishna Rao (Pragati Krishna Rao).