Majority Political Parties Demands Fresh Notification for Local Body Elections in AP

The TDP, BJP and CPI demanded to issue a fresh notification for the local body elections and cancel the previous notification, and the Jana Sena asked the State Election Commission to conduct the elections in a free and fair manner, on Wednesday, during the all party meeting conducted by the SEC in Vijayawada.

The TDP AP president K Atchannaidu, who attended the meeting pointed out that a massive irregularities and offences took place in the first phase of polls held in March as the ruling YSRCP has attacked and humiliated even the SEC Ramesh Kumar himself. Casteist allegations were made against Ramesh Kumar only to create a fear psychosis and hijack the election process altogether, he added.

Speaking to The Hans India, BJP AP president Somu Veerraju alleged that the SEC colluded with the ruling YSRCP and tried to conduct the elections in a short span of time in the past. At the same time, he demanded the SEC to issue fresh notification and conduct the elections in a fair and unbiased manner. He said that all the unanimous elections happened in an unfair and undemocratic way under the direct influence of the ruling YSRCP. The BJP candidates were not allowed to place their nominations at many instances in the State, he explained.

The Jana Sena submitted their opinion to the SEC in a written format and demanded to probe into all the irregularities committed by the ruling YSRCP in the local body elections in March. The Jana Sena further asked the SEC to ensure Law and Order so as to protect the values of the democracy, while the elections would be in progress. It also suggested the SEC to follow the guidelines of the Election Commission of India.

The CPM suggested the SEC to sort out all the objections raised by the political parties and then conduct the elections.

On the other hand, the ruling YSRCP objected to the all party meeting and did not attend it. The party MLA Ambati Rambabu clarified that as the SEC was violating the guidelines of the Supreme Court, their party has decided to boycott the meeting. He further alleged that the SEC did not take the opinion of the State government on both Law and Order situation as well as on the status of pandemic COVID19. He criticised that the SEC made severe allegations against the ruling YSRCP, which were demoralizing.

The YSRCP, TRS, AIMIM, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Nationalist Congress party did not attend the meeting. Jana Sena and Janata Dal (Secular) parties conveyed their views in a written format. The TDP, BJP, Congress, CPI, CPM, AIADMK, All India Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League, Janata Dal (United), Samjwadi party and Bahujan Samaj Party leaders attended the meeting, explained the SEC Ramesh Kumar in a statement.

Ramesh Kumar said that out of the total 19 political parties, including 6 recognised national parties, 3 recognised State parties in AP, 9 recognised state parties other than AP were invited to elicit their considered views regarding further course of action on the adjourned elections to the local bodies in the State.

While reacting to the criticism launched by the YSRCP, Ramesh Kumar stated that there was no deviation in the process of conducting the elections by the SEC. He said that it was surprising to see a press note attributed to a YSRCP leader stating that the party was not attending the consultation process and alleging the Commission had not bothered to meet the Health officials and Government in the first instance. He said that as a constitutional body, the SEC has been adhering to all the rules and guidelines and there was no deviation. The all party meeting was also a part of that procedure, he added. Ramesh Kumar said that the Commission would honour and respect the consensus views arising out of the consultation process duly.