TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu has criticised the police for “illegally arresting and harassing” the TDP leaders with a view to scuttling the chances of the party candidates in the municipal elections.
“The police are, however, allowing the ruling YSRCP leaders to commit all sorts of election offences. When the violations are questioned, false cases are being booked against the TDP followers,” Mr. Naidu alleged in a statement on Sunday.
Mr. Naidu sought to know why the police did not take into custody all the YSRCP leaders who were “caught red handed while distributing cash to the voters in Kuppam.”
“The threat being issued to the TDP cadre is undemocratic, unethical and unconstitutional,” he alleged.
Asserting that it was not a crime to prevent persons from casting bogus votes, Mr. Naidu said, “TDP leaders were arrested for stopping bogus voters. The YSRCP is using the official machinery to hijack the election process.”
He criticised Water Resources Minister Anil Kumar for “harassing” Kappira Srinivasulu for extending his support to the TDP candidates in Nellore.
“Mr. Srinivasulu has attempted suicide unable to bear the harassment at the hands of the YSRCP leaders,” the TDP chief alleged.