Campaign against use of money in polls launched

​Eluru: AP Editors Association president VVR Krishnamraju has said that irreparable damage will be caused to Indian democracy, if adequate steps are not taken to prevent influence of money in elections.Accompanied by Better Andhra Pradesh convener DSNV Prasada Babu, Krishnamraju released posters to create awareness among people on use of money by politicians to buy votes.

Addressing the media on the occasion, Krishnamraju said that 30 per cent of MPs who win 2014 elections were crorepatis. The percentage rose to 82 by now. Quoting Association for Democratic Reforms findings, he said that Rs 34,000 crore were unauthorisedly spent by different parties during 2014 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

He estimated that a sum of Rs 50,000 crore would be spent in the ensuing elections and a lion’s share of the sum would be spent on purchase of votes. No other country in the world was spending so much on buying votes, he added. They announced that the APEA and BAP were taking up a large-scale statewide campaign against the use of money to buy votes.