BJP State president Kanna Lakshminarayana has complained to State Election Commissioner (SEC) N. Ramesh Kumar that the YSRCP leaders are using the disbursement of ₹1,000 financial aid to the poor for their political ends by seeking votes for the ensuing local body elections.
Mr. Lakshminarayana alleged that the ward and village volunteers were advising the beneficiaries to vote for the YSRCP in the elections, which amounted to hijacking the occasion (of distributing relief to the needy) by the MLAs, YSRCP leaders and contestants for achieving their political objectives.
Mr. Lakshminarayana said it was the government that was extending the assistance to the BPL families and not the party. Trying to garner votes in the guise of disbursement of aid to those affected by the lockdown was unethical and highly objectionable. Allowing it would provide an undue advantage to the candidates of the ruling party over others, he said.
‘Health hazard’
Besides, the movement of a large number of YSRCP cadres increased the risk of the spread of COVID-19, Mr. Lakshminarayana said, and requested the SEC to stop the “illegal involvement” of YSRCP leaders and cadres in the relief distribution and disqualify the candidates found to be influencing the people by invoking the provisions of the Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.
