TDP won Hiramandalam ZPTC over YCP nominee
Recounting illegally held to declare YCP wins
AMARAVATI: TDP National President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday strongly criticised the ruling YSRCP for continuing its serious election offences and violations even in the counting of votes for the ZPTC and MPTC polls.
Naidu said that TDP nominee Pogiri Buchibabu won over YCP candidate with 59 votes majority in Hiramandalam ZPTC in Pathapatnam assembly constituency of Srikakulam district. The TDP candidate defeated YCP MLA Reddy Santi’s son Sravan. Later, the victory of the TDP candidate was also declared. But, the election officials permitted recounting for this seat in violation of rules and under sheer pressure from the ruling YCP leaders.
In a statement here, the TDP chief said that opting for recounting after the result was declared would be a serious violation against the election guidelines. The Hiramandalam ZPTC incident was enough to say how the election officials were violating the rules to favour the ruling party. The TDP would expose this and it would make the erring officials accountable in the courts of law.
Naidu further said that TDP candidate Nageswara Reddy won Juturu MPTC in Anantapuram district with a majority of four votes. The same majority continued even after recounting as per the demand of the YCP leaders. But, the election officials totally violated the rules and took up counting for a third time. The counting officials colluded and declared the YCP candidate as having won by one vote over the TDP nominee.
The TDP chief slammed the officials for ‘undermining’ the democratic process of election by dancing to the tunes of the ruling YCP leaders. Such officials would face serious consequences in future. The State Election Commission (SEC) should set this right and declare the TDP candidates elected in Hiramandalam ZPTC and Juturu MPTC. The TDP had won these two seats with popular support and in a democratic manner.
