TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday alleged that the YSRCP had resorted to strong-arm tactics in the gram panchayat elections.
“The conduct of YSRCP is an affront to democracy,” Mr. Naidu told the media.
Mr. Naidu alleged that the YSRCP leaders got the election results manipulated at many places by threatening the election officials. The State Election Commission (SEC) remained a mute spectator in spite of availability of evidence, he alleged, and vowed to fight against the elections that had been made unanimous through intimidation of those who stood up against the ruling party.
“This has been the trend since the first phase of elections against the TDP’s commendable performance, which indicates an imminent decline in the YSRCP’s electoral fortunes,” Mr. Naidu claimed.
The high voting percentage in all the three phases of elections conducted so far was due to the fighting spirit of the TDP. It was because the TDP stood by the masses amidst a palpable sense of fear of attacks by the YSRCP cadres and their attempts to lure the voters, Mr. Naidu said.
He alleged that the police were acting as per the whims and fancies of the ruling party leaders. The police made many candidates withdraw their nominations by blackmailing them, he alleged.
Mr. Naidu wondered what the SEC was doing as the YSRCP leaders made a mockery of the democratic process, and insisted that they were behind the poll machinations in his native Kuppam in Chittoor district.
On the proposed privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Mr. Naidu demanded that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy strongly oppose the move, and advised him not to be content with writing letters to the Prime Minister.
