LS Polls 2014: Chandrababu Naidu's vote almost made invalid, post his claims of voting for BJP

HYDERABAD: A spat broke out between TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and the state Election Commission after the former openly said he had voted for BJP.

Naidu voted near his Jubilee Hills residence, and then disclosed to the media that he'd voted for BJP. Naidu's residence falls under the Khairatabad assembly constituency and the Secunderabad Lok Sabha segment where BJP has fielded candidates in alliance with Naidu's party.

Chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal reacted by saying: "No voter should reveal his voting preference publicly. If one does so, the vote will be made invalid." Rival parties immediately spread the word that Naidu's vote could be declared invalid.

Angry over the 'comments' made by Bhanwarlal, the TDP supremo immediately consulted his advisors and dashed off a letter to chief election commissioner VS Sampath charging Bhanwarlal with making 'irresponsible' statements.

Meanwhile, Naidu also sent a delegation headed by TD Janardan to Bhanwarlal. Janardan met the CEO at his Secretariat office and presented the case of TDP. They challenged that the CEO has no jurisdiction to cancel or making a vote invalid. Naidu immediately sent one of his emissaries to the CEC in New Delhi to seek clarification on the whole episode. Sampath later issued a clarification that the vote cast by Naidu will be counted, much to the embarrassment to Bhanwarlal.