BJP, Jana Sena urge Andhra Pradesh governor Biswabhusan Harichandan to ensure free and fair polls

VIJAYAWADA: Claiming that they have ‘reliable information’ that the state government may deliberately delay issuance of certificates to prevent opposition contestants from filing nominations and thus pave way for 'forced unanimity' in panchayat polls, BJP and Jana Sena leaders sought Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan's intervention in directing the concerned to ensure free and transparent conduct of local body polls. 

In the representation submitted on Thursday, BJP state chief Somu Veerraju and Jana Sena's political affairs committee (PAC) chairperson Nadendla Manohar said: "We have reliable information that the state government may deliberately delay the issuance of caste certificate and no-dues clearance certificate for the contestants from Opposition parties, this paving way for unanimous polls in favour of the ruling YSRC party."

Later, Nadendla Manohar alleged that the YSR Congress government was conspiring to ensure 'forced unanimity'. 

State Election Commissioner to visit Rayalaseema to review arrangements

VIJAYAWADA: State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar will visit Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa districts on January 29 and 30 to review the arrangements for the Gram Panchayat polls.

On the first day of his visit on Friday, the SEC will go to Bangalore from Vijayawada by flight and from there to Anantapur by road and conduct a review meeting. From Anantapur, the SEC will go to Kurnool and hold a review meeting with officials in the evening.

After making a night halt in Kurnool, he will proceed to Kadapa on Saturday and conduct a meeting and return to Vijayawada in the afternoon.