SEC urged to banish anti-social elements from Kuppam

Mangalagiri: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday demanded the State Election Commission (SEC) to take step to banish troublemakers and outside miscreants from the villages in Kuppam Assembly constituency in order to ensure a free and fair panchayat election.

Naidu said that on February 14, an attempt was made on the life of District Congress Committee (DCC) president Suresh Babu at Pacharlapalli village in Gudupalle mandal by a miscreant with knife. The attacker has attacked four other people also when they were trying to protect Suresh Babu. The Opposition leaders were being attacked with an ulterior plan to demoralise them in the panchayat elections, he alleged.

Naidu said that the State Election Commission (SEC) should act swiftly and ensure that the gram panchayat elections being held on February 17 would be conducted peacefully in a free and fair manner. For this, additional protection forces shall be deployed and all the non-bona fide outsiders should be sent out of villages in Kuppam Assembly segment. Simultaneously, inquiry shall be conducted into the presence of anti-social elements and miscreants in villages and action be taken against the culprits.

In a separate statement, Naidu condemned the arrest of the TDP sarpanch candidate along with some others in Avulavaripalem village in Krosuru mandal in the Guntur district on false charges and demanded their immediate release.