Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu has advised the State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nilam Sawhney to resign from her post, if she could not uphold the democratic spirit by ensuring free and fair elections to the civic bodies.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Mr. Naidu said the SEC remained as a mute spectator when the YSRCP leaders were resorting to all sorts of violations of poll code.
“The SEC has miserably failed in taking the necessary steps when the TDP candidates were threatened, intimidated and their nominations were torn by the YSRCP activists. The election irregularities took place in Kuppam, Nellore, Darsi, Buchireddypalem, Bethamcherla, Rajampeta and other places are unprecedented,” he alleged and accused the Returning Officers and the police of favouring to the ruling party candidates.
Mr. Naidu demanded that the SEC must explain as to why nominations filed by TDP candidates Tirumagal and her husband in the 14th ward of Kuppam municipality were rejected.
“The candidates had submitted physical and digital nomination papers to the Returning Officer. They had also sent their nomination papers online to the Collector, the SEC and High Court,” said Mr. Naidu.
“The fact was that Ms. Tirumagal and her husband Prakash went to a safe place to escape from threats and intimidation of the YSRCP leaders. But, there were rumours that they were kidnapped by the TDP only to announce their withdrawal using forged signatures. What reply would the SEC give to this couple to whom injustice was meted out?” he asked.
