Threats to TDP nominees decried: Chandrababu Naidu

Amaravati: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday strongly criticised some police personnel for 'threatening and forcing' the Opposition TDP-supported candidates and activists to withdraw their nominations in the panchayat elections. He said that the police made a mockery of elections by taking into custody Somasekhara Reddy, husband of TDP-backed candidate in Nandyalapalli gram panchayat in Simhadripuram mandal in Kadapa district. Using false cases during the time of elections would amount to serious violations of the constitutional rights of the people, he said.

In a statement here, Naidu said that CI Ashok Reddy and SI Anil Reddy resorted to this only to force the TDP candidate to withdraw her nomination papers. Implicating the Opposition candidates in false cases would be a violation of the laws. Some police were frowning upon the laws of the land and acting subservient to the oppressive dark laws of Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, he alleged.

The TDP chief expressed grief over the death of TDP activist Eediga Nagendra at Cherlopalli village in Setturu mandal in the Anantapur district. The activist ended his life unable to cope with the defeat of the party candidate in the panchayat election. The party activist enthusiastically campaigned in the election. He assured all support from the party to the bereaved family members.

He called upon the party cadres and leaders to maintain emotional self-restraint in times of crisis. Everybody should confront the atrocious and chaotic regime of the YSRCP with courage and conviction, he said.

Earlier, Naidu complained to the State Election Commission (SEC) about the YSRCP attacks on the Opposition TDP candidates at Paidipalem village in Simhadripuram mandal in Kadapa district on February 15. The ruling party leaders destroyed the crops of TDP candidate Anjanamma. They threatened another TDP candidate Obulamma. The YSRCP leaders were resorting to desperate attacks because of their fear of defeat in the hands of the TDP candidates, he said.