TDP national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court judgement that has come in favour of holding panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu asserted that after coming to power, the ruling YSRCP has been committing unchecked constitutional violations in many instances. No system or institution was being allowed to function peacefully and normally. Hurdles were being created at every step.
In a statement here, the TDP chief said that all the four pillars of legislature, judiciary, executive and the media were undermined with the ruling party leaders issuing continuing threats to the heads of the constitutional institutions. Out of political vindictiveness, a bill was passed to abolish the Legislative Council altogether. The honest and committed officers were being targeted and harassed. The judiciary and the courts were coming under unforeseen attacks. The judges were being threatened. The State Election Commission was ignored. The Election Commissioner was unduly criticised in the name of caste. Naidu recalled how GO 2430 was brought to kill the voice of the media in total violation of the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution. The ruling YCP’s party colours were pasted on the government offices with total disregard for decorum and democratic values. The people’s sentiments were hurt in every way possible. The orders of the courts were not being implemented.
The TDP chief deplored that the YSRCP government obviously had a single point agenda to demolish the constitutional institutions like the courts, the election commission, etc. An unfortunate situation had set in where the court’s interventions were becoming necessary in each and every problem confronting the people. Naidu termed it as laudable that the Supreme Court had issued a timely order for conducting the elections which would go a long way in upholding the democracy in the state. The apex court’s order should serve as an eye-opener for the fascist and anarchic Jaganmohan Reddy regime, he said.
The former Chief Minister stressed the need for conducting a free and fair election for the panchayats for which all necessary steps should be taken. The polls should be held in an unbiased manner without any scope for irregularities and intimidation. The kind of violence and the ruling party’s harassment that was witnessed in the March election should not be allowed to be repeated this time.