Nominations begin for panchayat polls in Andhra, YSRCP accuses SEC

Nominations for the first phase of four-phase rural local body elections have started on Friday and will last for three days. Nominations will be accepted between 10.30 am and 5 pm. Display of ward-wise electoral rolls of gram panchayats by the returning officer will begin on the same day of nominations in all the four phases of elections. Last day for receiving nominations for sarpanches and ward members for the first phase will end at 5 pm on Sunday.

The election will be held on 9 February from 6.30 am to 3.30 pm, and the counting of votes will start from 4 pm on the same day. As many as 18 revenue divisions will go to polls in the first phase. 3,249 villages will go for polls, which contain 32,504 wards.

On the other hand, YSRCP general secretary Vijay Sai Reddy lambasted State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar. He reacted to the letter written by Nimmagadda seeking transfer of Praveen Prakash, principal secretary in Chief Minister’s office, besides his complaint to the Governor seeking action against ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and Botsa Satyanarayana and MPs.

“Nimmagadda seems to have gone mad. He has become mentally deranged person as was evident from the way he is issuing orders against the government and officers. He should be sent to a mental hospital for treatment. He is unfit to be in that constitutional position,” Sai Reddy said, speaking to the media in Delhi.

Accusing the SEC of suffering from cast mania, Sai Reddy said the SEC was taking actions without any rhyme or reason. “He is not impartial, but has been dancing to the tune of Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu,” he said.