YSRCP misusing government machinery in polls: BJP

Tirupati/Kadapa: Alleging misuse of official machinery by the YSRCP, the state BJP will complain to the State Election Commissioner seeking action.

At the meeting of the BJP functionaries from the four Lok Sabha constituencies including Tirupati, Chittoor, Rajampeta and Nellore held here on Monday, the party leaders expressed concern on the pressures and intimidation the party candidates contesting in the municipal election are facing to force them to withdraw from the contest.

BJP leaders including state president Somu Veerraju, CM Ramesh, Aadinarayana Reddy, Narayana Reddy and Vishnuvardhan Reddy and others participated in the meet which took stock of the ensuing municipal election in the four Parliament constituencies.

Briefing the media after the meeting, CM Ramesh said that the opposition candidates in the fray are facing intimidation and pressures from the leaders of ruling party which they accused of resorting to all coercive tactics to see the rival candidates retire from contest.

Stating that such coercive tactics and misuse of official machinery by the ruling party was unprecedented, he alleged that the ruling party involved the police, revenue and civic officials to exert pressure on the opposition candidates to force them to withdraw from the contest.

Informing that complaints of intimidation and pressure were received from the candidates from various municipalities in the four Lok Sabha constituencies, Ramesh wanted the SEC to take immediate steps to stop the ruling party indulging in unlawful means.

The meeting discussed party strategy for the municipal election and called on party activists to strive without budging to the ruling party pressures and threats to get maximum votes and seats in the municipal election.

Meanwhile in Kadapa, Pradesh Congress Committee working president N Tulasi Reddy on Monday condemned the detaining of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu at Renigunta airport.

Speaking to media, Tulasi Reddy alleged that restricting the entry of former chief minister into Chittoor district is nothing but attack on democracy.

TDP official spokesman B Tech Ravi said YSRCP would have to pay heavily for its lapses in municipal elections as people of the state were vexed with the government.