KTR takes a jibe at Chandrababu Naidu, asks EVM or ballot what difference does it make

HYDERABAD: Attacking Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu over going back to elections with ballot paper, TRS working president KT Rama Rao said Naidu, who claims to be champion in bringing technology to united AP, is now against technology in the polls.

He reminded Naidu that he won the elections with the help of EVMs. “By chance, if he wins the elections again, will he go back on his comments on EVMs functioning?” KTR asked during an informal chat with reporters on Sunday.

KT Rama Rao said Naidu’s silly comments only reflected his frustration of possibly losing the elections. “What is the difference if a message is sent a text message from mobile phone or through a letter. Similarly, what difference does it if elections are held with the help of EVMs or ballot papers?” KTR said.

“The entire country has seen how both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Telangana were held in a fair and smooth manner without any violence, unlike in AP,” KTR said. He also dismissed the doubts on the revision of polling percentages saying that it was not the first time election authorities had changed turnout figures on the next day.

The TRS working president said the party would bag 16 seats in the state and that there would be coalition government at the Centre. He said the party was expecting huge majority in the constituencies like Medak, Warangal, and Karimnagar. Congress will slip into third position in some of the constituencies.

The TRS leader said the state government had suggested the state election commission to hold elections for Zilla Parishad (ZP) before the Lok Sabha results to avoid enforcement of the model code of conduct even after LS results in the event of elections held for local bodies. However, he said, since the state government was contemplating to bring new Municipal Act, municipal elections would likely be held after this May. The Act is yet to be approved by the state assembly.