Andhra Pradesh: Opposition parties demand fresh notification

Amaravati: Opposition parties urged the State Election Commission to modify schedule to given another opportunity to opposition-backed candidates who lost opportunity to file nominations due to threats from ruling party leaders in March last year.

TDP leaders, including former minister Alapati Rajendra Prasad, MLC P Ashok Babu, state party general secretary Ganni Krishna an Politburo member Bonda Umamaheswara Rao met State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday and submitted a memorandum requesting the SEC to modify schedule of municipal elections.

The TDP leaders citing the violent attacks, kidnaps and tearing of nomination papers by YSRCP leaders during March 2020, said it is the responsibility of SEC to provide equal opportunities to all. They said as the SEC issued orders for continuation of earlier schedule for local body elections, several aspirants lost opportunity to file nominations.

The TDP leaders alleged that the ruling party made several unanimous elections with forcible withdrawal of nominations by threatening the contesting candidates.

BJP leaders, including P Satyanarayana, Minority Morcha president Sk Baji and others met the State Election Commissioner and requested the SEC to issue a fresh schedule for at least a period of three days time to enable the public who intend to contest in the forthcoming elections for local bodies.