Making an appeal to the voters of the poll-bound Badvel Assembly constituency not to give their mandate to the YSRCP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader Daggubati Purandeswari on Tuesday said that ‘voting for the ruling party was akin to voting for anarchy’.
“The people of Badvel must not encourage lawlessness by voting for the YSRCP. Support the BJP to ensure development,” said Ms. Purandeswari while canvassing for the party’s nominee P. Suresh.
Ms. Purandeswari hit the campaign trail after offering prayers at the Rama temple at Kammavaripalle village. She accused the YSRCP of resorting to intimidation, coercion and even physical attack to ensure victory in the bypoll.
“The situation is not conducive for a free and fair election in Badvel. Deployment of Central security forces is the only option to ensure peaceful conduct of the bypoll. Attempts are being made by the ruling party to frighten the BJP cadre. But, we are not scared of such feeble attempts,” she said.
Drawing a parallel between Badvel and the YSR bastion Pulivendula constituency, both in Kadpa district, Ms. Purandeswari wondered how Badvel could remain backward for decades even as the ‘VVIP constituency’ witnessed ‘glorious’ development.
She referred to the acute drinking water shortage in Badvel and sought to know what steps had the YSRCP government taken to mitigate the woes of people.
BJP State president Somu Veerraju accused Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy of coercing BJP Kalasapadu mandal president Ramakrishna Reddy and ‘forcibly’ taking him into their party fold.
“The ruling party leaders had threatened him (Ramakrishna Reddy) that the payment of bills for his contract works would be stalled if he did not join the YSRCP. We have complained to the Election Commission on this issue,” he said.