2 weeks ago
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Tirupati legislator and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy accused the NDA alliance party leaders of allegedly ‘conspiring’ to spread fear and violence on polling day in the temple town.
Speaking to the media, here on Saturday, he alleged that over 2,000 ‘anti-social elements’ with criminal backgrounds from Chittoor have been housed in various service apartments and lodges in Tirupati. “The fact that about 25 persons from Chittoor have been fielded as independent candidates solidifies my apprehension that the polling will not be peaceful,” he alleged.
In a veiled reference to the alleged ‘nativity’ of Arani Srinivasulu, who was formerly YSRCP’s Chittoor MLA and is now the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance candidate for the Tirupati Assembly constituency, Mr. Reddy alleged that rowdy sheeters from Chittoor are being commissioned as party election agents in Tirupati.
“This will severely impact the credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in conducting free and fair elections,” he said, adding that the polling agent should be a registered voter within the limits of the respective polling stations.
Stating that the town has never witnessed any electoral violence in the past, he said that his party is determined to take up the issue with the State Election Commission and lodge a complaint with the Superintendent of Police. The YSRCP will oppose the ‘illegal plan’ of the Opposition to influence the voting pattern on polling day and attempt to snub it in the initial stages, he asserted
Municipal Corporation Mayor BR Sirisha Yadav was also present.
