Naidu urges EC to check political violence in state

Vijayawada: TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu demanded immediate intervention by the Election Commission to check increasing political violence in the state.

He said on Tuesday that at a time when the election process is on in the state, the ruling YSRCPis escalating political violence.

Asserting that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will be losing power in another 50 days, Naidu alleged he was encouraging political violence as the fear of losing power is haunting him.

Naidu said in a statement that the YSRCP ‘goondas’ who are in deep depression are resorting to attacks on the TDP activists in various parts of the state.

The TDP chief mentioned the killing of two TDP supporters during the last couple of days. Mulaiah of Gadikota in GIddalur Assembly constituency was brutally hacked to death for attending the recent Praja Galam meeting held at Chilakaluripet while 21-year-old Imam Hussain of Chagalamarri in Allagadda constituency too was mercilessly murdered. The car of the TDP activists in Macherla, was set on fire.

Demanding that the police act in an impartial way and initiate stringent action against the culprits responsible for all these three incidents, Chandrababu strongly condemned the murder and faction politics of the YSRCP.

Assuring the affected families that the TDP will solidly stand by them, Chandrababu alleged that the superintendents of police (SPs) of Prakasam, Nandyal and Palnadu districts are all dancing to the tunes of the ruling dispensation. Taking advantage of the support of these SPs, the YSRCP goondas are ruling the roost in their respective areas, he said.

Since the Model Code of Conduct is in force in the state, the Election Commission should immediately focus on the prevailing law and order situation in the state, he said and demanded urgent action to check the increasing political violence in the state after reviewing the situation.

Simultaneous elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled to be held on May 13.

…predicts 160 Assembly seats for NDA in AP

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday exuded confidence that the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena alliance would storm to power in Andhra Pradesh by winning more than 160 Assembly seats.

The former chief minister is also confident that the NDA will bag more than 400 Lok Sabha seats.

“A resounding echo throughout Andhra Pradesh is heralding the dawn of a progressive era, resonating with the firm belief that the NDA will surpass 400+ in Lok Sabha and 160+ in the state Assembly,” Chandrababu Naidu posted on X.

As per the seat sharing agreement among three NDA partners in Andhra Pradesh announced last week, the TDP will contest 144 out of 175 Assembly seats and 17 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

It left 31 Assembly seats and eight Lok Sabha seats for the two allies.

While Jana Sena will contest 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats, the BJP will field its candidates in 10 Assembly and six Lok Sabha constituencies.

The TDP has already so far announced 128 candidates for Assembly polls while Jana Sena has announced seven candidates.

The BJP is yet to announce its candidates. None of the NDA partners have declared candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.