ECI team in AP: Naidu, Pawan allege irregulates in AP electoral rolls; YSRCP seeks action on fake complaints

Vijayawada: TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, accompanied by actor-turned-politician and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, presented their concerns regarding the preparation of electoral rolls to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

In a review meeting with the ECI team on Tuesday at Hotel Novotel in Vijayawada, the duo raised many issues including alleged bulk additions and deletions of votes to AP electoral rolls.

“We have filed a complaint with the ECI over the irregularities in the voters’ list and illegal cases filed against the political leaders and activists. For instance, about 6,000 illegal cases were filed against the activists of the TDP and Jana Sena during the four-and-a-half years of rule of the YSRCP government. Around 200 people were arrested in connection with the Punganur violence in August 2023 and now bind over cases are being filed,” Chandrababu Naidu said, speaking to media after participating in the review with the ECI team.

The ECI team, headed by chief election commissioner Rajeev Kumar, will be staying in Vijayawada for three days starting Tuesday to review the poll preparedness of the State Election Commission (SEC) for the upcoming elections to the AP State Legislative Assembly and the Lok Sabha.

Ahead of State Assembly elections in 2024 in Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena have set their focus on electoral lists.

Keep village/ward secretariat staff away from election duties: Naidu

“We have appealed to the ECI to appoint experienced officials on election duties, instead of inexperienced village/ward secretariat staff and volunteers. As many as 2,552 women police officers were appointed as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in 87 Assembly constituencies. Steps should be taken by the ECI to deploy central police observers if needed and set up a separate cell to monitor the election process to eliminate irregularities,” Naidu said.

The TDP president also raised an objection with the ECI about government officials, including district collectors, for participating in an election campaign titled ‘Why AP Needs Jagan’ to promote YSRCP president and chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He added that the ECI gave a patient hearing to all their complaints and vowed to protect democracy without compromise.

Pawan Kalyan said that a complaint was filed with the ECI over bogus votes being enrolled in the Assembly constituencies across Andhra Pradesh. He alleged that around one lakh bogus votes were enrolled in the Chandragiri Assembly constituency.

“The opposition parties’ voice was being suppressed in the State after the YSRCP government came to power. Several false cases were foisted on those who highlighted the failures of the government,” he said.

Meanwhile, YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy said that a detailed representation was given to the ECI on six aspects.

“We have raised a serious objection with the ECI for allotting a common symbol to the Jana Sena, which is an unrecognised political party. How can an individual Koneru Satish file a complaint with the ECI about 10 lakh bogus votes in Andhra Pradesh? On what basis has he filed a complaint?” Vijaysai Reddy asked and added that district collectors have already reported on lack of bogus votes in the State.

The YSRCP MP also asked the ECI to delete ‘dual voters’ who possessed voter cards in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The individuals should enrol themselves to cast their vote after deleting their name from the Telangana electoral list, he said and added that a complaint was also filed with the ECI on TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh for threatening the officials with a ‘Red Book’ during his ‘Yuva Galam’ padayatra and public meetings of Chandrababu Naidu.