The panchayat elections are happening after the Supreme Court gave the green light to the State Election Commission (SEC). The ruling party YSRCP is contemplating to make the polls unanimous as many seats as possible. Against this backdrop, the Opposition party TDP has become alert. TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu has advised the party workers that they should face the YSRCP atrocities with courage and that no one should be discouraged and suggested to prevent forced unanimous polls. Naidu asked them to file as many nominations as possible on the first day of nominations.
Naidu advised all candidates to prepare the required certificates in advance and suggested make extensive use of social media for electioneering. He said a control room has been set up at the headquarters in Mangalagiri for candidates to work 24 hours a day. He opined that there was deep dissatisfaction among the people against the YSRCP government. “With attacks on temples, the YSRCP has distanced itself from all sections,” Naidu added. He told the cadre that the defeat of the YSRCP is certain if the elections were held impartially. The BJP And Jenasena also allege that the ruling YSRCP is using all arm-twisting tactics to threaten the candidates for unanimous polls.
On the other hand, the Panchayat Raj minister Peddi Reddy Ramachandra Reddy said that TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu and SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar and others are acting as one gang and disturbing the democratic practices in local body elections.
Moreover, he wrote a nine-page letter to the chief secretary with personal intention to take disciplinary action against the Gopala Krishnan Dwivedi and one more IAS officer. “Both officers are working efficiently in the Panchayat Raj department, but the SEC made unnecessary recommendations for action against them. Our Chief Secretary has decided to send back a SEC 9-page letter to his office.”
