Andhra Pradesh local poll row: YSRCP alleges attacks, seeks central forces

NEW DELHI: As Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) gave two more days to candidates to file nominations in four of the 19 municipalities flagged by the YSRCP, the Opposition accused TDP of not following the Supreme Court directive and demanded the appointment of an amicus curiae to supervise the local body elections and deployment of central forces and CCTV coverage to ensure free and fair polls.

On its part, TDP filed complaints before the SEC against alleged violence by YSRCP to stall local body election process. Following the SC directive, the SEC ruled that candidates in four of 19 municipalities will be given more time. Addressing a press conference on Friday, former chief minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the Naidu-led government was not honouring the SC directive and was going ahead with the anarchy in the local body elections. "The script in the ZPTC and MPTC nominations is no different and YSRCP candidates including women are being attacked, threatened and nomination papers being snatched and torn away," he said. TDP punched holes in Reddy's claims and said in ZPTC elections YSRCP had filed more nominations than any other party, which reflected that the elections are being conducted in a free and fair manner.