VIJAYAWADA: With the arrest of incumbent MLA Jaleel Khan, TDP Urban president and MLC Buddha Venkanna and other Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) on the election day on Thursday, the job of maintaining law and order in Vijayawada West constituency seems to have become a thankless and tedious job for the police, especially because political leaders are lobbying to transfer some circle inspectors.
On Thursday, sitting MLA Jaleel Khan of the ruling TDP, along with his supporters around 11 am visited various polling stations in Vidyadharapuram, Bhavanipuram, Panja Centre and Kothapet despite police instructing him not to come out and influence public to cast their vote in favour of his daughter Shabana Musarat Khatoon, who contested from the constituency, which his father had currently been representing. Following complaints lodged by a few (not YSRC leaders), Two Town circle inspector Md Umar reportedly raised an objection and asked him not to create tension as his untimely visits could possibly result in fights between ruling and Opposition party leaders.
The pleas, however, fell on deaf ears, as the MLA continued with his visits in the constituency and was stopped by YSRC supporters at Panja Centre around 5 pm and they asked him to leave the place. After heated arguments, both TDP and YSRC got into a fight and eight people were arrested. In the melee, the MLA’s car got damaged and he was taken into preventive custody. “We tried to control the situation by sending both the parties away from the polling centre. The YSRC leaders alleged that Jaleel Khan was influencing voters,” said the Two Town police.
For the record, MLA Jaleel Khan, who shot into fame for his B.Com Physics remarks, contested neither for MLA nor MP seat. Not happy with the behaviour of the police, the TDP leaders alleged that some police officials were working in favour of Opposition YSRC leaders and were allowing them to enter polling booths. “Only the contesting candidate has the right to visit a polling station. Taking law into his hands, he violated the election code,” said a senior policeman on condition of anonymity.
YSR Congress lodges plaint against Jaleel Khan
YSRC leaders Malladi Vishnu and Vellampalli Srinivas on Friday approached Police Commissioner Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao and lodged a complaint against Telugu Desam Party MLA Jaleel Khan for allegedly threatening voters. Addressing the media, YSR Congress MLA candidate Vishnu lambasted MLA Jaleel Khan for intimidating voters in a polling booth in Panja Centre. “Jaleel Khan visited different polling booths in Vijayawada West constituency and was seen influencing voters. He also threatened voters with dire consequences if his daughter loses in the elections,” Vishnu said.