Tirupati: Only three TDP candidates file nominations again

Tirupati: Only three TDP candidates as against five who were permitted by the State Election Commission (SEC) for refiling nominations submitted their papers on Tuesday to contest the corporation election here.

Twenty candidates alleging that they were prevented from filing nominations last year in March, petitioned the SEC to permit them file nomination again. Out of them, SEC accepted 6 including 5 TDP and a BJP candidate.

However, only three TDP candidates filed nominations in the three divisions 1, 21 and 45 while the other did not file the nomination till the closing time on Tuesday. The lone BJP candidate who got permission to file nomination for Division 10 also did not file his papers. With no nominations being received on Tuesday, the three divisions including 8, 41 and 10 where YSRCP candidates alone filed their papers are set to be elected without contest.

The filing of nominations by the three TDP candidates who alleged that they are facing pressures from rivals not to contest kept the local TDP leaders on tenterhooks till the last moments on Tuesday. City TDP president Dampuri Bhaskar Yadav and others were with the three candidates till the completion of the nominations after which they were taken to former MLA M Suguna's residence to avoid any poaching by the rivals.

Meanwhile, CPM central committee member V Sreenivasa Rao said the ruling YSRCP is murdering democracy in the municipal elections in the state.

Addressing a meeting in support of an independent candidate backed by CPM contesting in 41st division in the city on Tuesday, Sreenivasa Rao said that the ruling party is keen on winning the election with sheer money and muscle power and police were aiding this trampling of democratic rights and violation of all rules and regulations.