YSRCP official spokesperson and legislator Ambati Rambabu has accused TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu of trying to turn the non-party gram panchayat elections into party-based exercise, and wondered why State Election Commissioner N. Ramesh Kumar is dithering over action against the Opposition leader for releasing a manifesto.
“Mr. Ramesh Kumar has not been working in the spirit of the Constitution. Even if Mr. Naidu pairs up with Mr. Ramesh Kumar, the TDP cannot be saved from sinking,” Mr. Rambabu told the media at the party central office at Tadepalli.
Stating that unanimous elections existed in the country, Mr. Rambabu questioned whether it was mentioned anywhere in the Constitution that there should be no unanimous elections in the local body polls.
He further accused the SEC of dancing to Mr. Naidu’s tune and terrorising the government officials by exercising his powers.
Mr. Ramesh Kumar, while still staying in Hyderabad, was blaming the government officials for rejecting his enrolment as a voter from Duggirala, Mr. Rambabu said.
Unanimous elections
Addressing the media in Tirupati, Minister for Panchayat Raj Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy lashed out at Mr. Naidu for releasing the manifesto.
“Who has given Mr. Naidu the right to release a manifesto while the model code is in force? While the government is keen on encouraging unanimous elections, Mr. Naidu is bent on creating havoc,” he alleged.
Mr. Naidu could not get a majority in his own district and had never worked for the people, and therefore he had no moral right to speak about former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who had worked selflessly and offered health services for only ₹1 in Pulivendula.
He further accused Mr. Ramesh Kumar of arm-twisting the bureaucrats and government employees.
“The government is following the verdict of the Supreme Court on panchayat elections, but the State Election Commissioner has been acting as a monarch,” he alleged. He also accused Mr. Ramesh Kumar of becoming a pawn in the hands of Mr. Naidu.
