The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders made charges of irregularities against the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders in the bypoll to the Badvel (SC) Assembly constituency held on Saturday.
Former Minister and BJP State vice-president C. Adinarayana Reddy accused the ruling party leaders of resorting to unethical practices such as bogus voting by bringing in the outsiders, doling out sops in proportion that was ‘unheard of’ and misusing the police machinery to intimidate the voters and booth agents.
“The Ministers, MLAs and MLCs of the YSRCP violated the law by overstaying in the constituency. They flooded the Assembly segment with huge quantum of money. At least 50,000 non-locals without valid identity cards were given slips by the ruling party to cast their votes. Is this a way of winning an election in a democratic way?” asked Mr. Adinarayana Reddy.
‘Tirupati drama’
The party accused the YSRCP of enacting the ‘Tirupati drama with a revised script’ in Badvel, reiterating the charges made during the by-election to the Tirupati Lok Sabha seat early this year that ‘outsiders’ were brought in to cast votes.
Mr. Adinarayana Reddy alleged that Kadapa Deputy Mayor Nityananda Reddy, a non-local in Badvel, was given the responsibility of an booth agent at Kosarajupalle village. He also accused the polling and police officials of complicity in the process. “The actual polling mark of 50% rose to 68.12% because of bogus votes,” said Mr. Adinarayana Reddy.
He asked why the YSRCP had made so many leaders in-charges for the bypoll if it was not scared of the BJP’s impact. Maintaining that the BJP cadre had identified and chased away ‘bogus voters’ at several polling stations, he demanded that repoll be held in 28 centres.
