The ruling YSR Congress Party is misusing the police to put pressure on the Telugu Desam Party sympathisers to work in favour of the ruling party, TDP MLA from Addanki Gottipatti Ravikumar alleged on Saturday.
As many as 15 party activists were picked up from Vemavaram village on the pretext of counselling by the police and were allegedly threatened with dire consequences if they worked for the opposition party in the elections, the MLA told the media.
They were beaten up late on Friday and some of them suffered fractures, alleged Mr. Ravikumar, who was one of the three TDP MLAs from the district who bucked the State-wide trend in favour of the YSRCP in 2019 Assembly elections.
The ruling YSRCP was using all tactics, including threats, to withhold payments for contracts done and foisting of cases by misusing the police, he alleged, adding that seven TDP MPTC candidates had withdrawn their candidature under duress. TDP MPTC and ZPTC candidates elsewhere were also tremendous pressure to leave the seats uncontested in favour of the YSRCP, he contended.
