Vizianagaram: Minister Botsa Satyanarayana denies irregularities in poll process

Vizianagaram: Minister for Municipal Administration Botsa Satyanarayana here on Saturday rebutted the Opposition criticism that the ruling party activists had unleased violence.

Addressing a press conference, the Minister blamed TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu for instigating his party activists to resort to violence. It led to pretty clashes in some villages. He said a large number of candidates were able to file their nomination papers. He denied that the candidates belonging to the opposition parties were prevented from filing nominations.

Satyanarayana said elections to most of the posts of MPTCs, ZPTCs and Sarpanches were unanimous. No force was used, he said.

The government, he asserted, was taking all measures to facilitate free and fair polls. He accused a section of TV channels and leaders of Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan of indulging in mud-slinging against the government. He said senior TDP leaders Karanam Balaram and K E Prabhakar and many more have made a beeline to join the party because the ruling party's growing popularity. He said former chairman of MANSAS trust P Ashok Gajapathi Raju can approach court if he believed that injustice was done.