Amaravati: Ruling party set to select 'real local' leaders as its nominees

Amaravati: Political heat began to rise as State Election Commission (SEC) announced the schedule for the local body elections and both the main parties kickstarting selection of candidates.

YSRCP president and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the party leaders to select only the local people who are residing in the respective villages for the panchayats. In fact, he made it mandatory for all parties by bringing in an ordinance.

On the other hand, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu directed the party leaders to ensure nominations in a proper manner across the state. He spoke to the party senior leaders on Sunday and guided them over the strategy to be adopted in the local body elections.

Naidu asked the party leaders to create awareness among the cadres on the Model Code of Conduct and new rules. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh told The Hans India that regardless of new ordinance brought by the government they would, in anyway, not spend money and distribute liquor.

"Let the YSRCP too honour what they preach as they they themselves brought the new rules. The TDP cadres will record the videos and lodge complaints against the violations of the YSRCP.

If the police or others violate the rules to favour the ruling party, then the TDP Legal Cell will approach the courts for justice," Lokesh said.

Meanwhile, YSRCP senior leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy criticised the TDP chief for "indulging in opportunistic" politics instead of appreciating the initiatives of the Chief Minister in introducing reforms.

He said that it was surprising that the TDP was claiming that it would benefit if the elections were to be conducted without distribution of money and liquor.

He alleged that the TDP had entered in a secret alliance with Congress to defeat the YSRCP in 2014 general elections. Even then, YSRCP and Jagan fought against them without fear but had not stepped back like Naidu had been doing now.

Ramakrishna Reddy said that since Naidu had "stopped" the government from providing reservations to BCs by approaching court through proxies, the Chief Minister was directly giving additional 10 per cent reservations to the BCs in the party.