Jana Sena Party (JSP) President Pawan Kalyan on Sunday appealed to the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct fresh nominations for the local body elections.
Addressing a press conference here after the SEC announcement postponing the local body elections for six weeks, Mr. Kalyan said the nomination exercise (MPTC/ZPTC) for the local body elections were not completed fairly across the State.
A silent SEC
“We appeal to the SEC to conduct the nomination exercise afresh. The SEC was calm over the incidences of physical attacks on our contestants across the State, though it is supposed to stop the election in the segments where such incidents took place,” he said.
“Police, government officials and public representatives have together created an environment of terror, in which the contestants from the JSP and BJP were either threatened to withdraw their nominations or join the YSRCP. Such environment prevailing in the State speaks of anti-democracy,” said Mr. Kalyan.
Report from the ground
In a report to the Chief Election Commission (CEC): Mr. Kalyan said: “Our party is preparing a ground-level report, documenting the incidences of physical attacks on our contestants, audiotapes of threats from the public representatives to withdraw the nominations by our contestants. The report will be submitted to the Central Election Commission, the Home Ministry, and the Central government.”
“The party will no more tolerate the physical attacks on our contestants and supporters. We will not hesitate to take hit the roads to respond to the YSRCP’s threats in the local body elections. No police officer who reportedly supported the YSRCP in threatening our contestants can escape from our future legal battle,” said Mr. Kalyan.
The JSP supremo has further stated he would personally meet the CEC, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other authorities, explaining the way the local body elections were being conducted in the State.