Naidu not to blame, we will conduct thorough review into poll debacle: N Uttam Kumar Reddy

He demanded that the Chief Electoral Officer should answer why the VVPATs missed in some segments. 
TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy pays tributes to former minister and ex-MLA of Khairatabad P Janardhan  on his 11th Death Anniversary, in Hyderabad on Friday | vinay madapu
TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy pays tributes to former minister and ex-MLA of Khairatabad P Janardhan on his 11th Death Anniversary, in Hyderabad on Friday | vinay madapu

HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the party would conduct a thorough review on the defeat of the Grand Alliance in the recent elections within three days time. 

“We have submitted a preliminary report to the high command. We will have a detailed review in the next three days. There are several reasons for the defeat of the Grand Alliance in the Assembly elections,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said in an informal chat with reporters at Gandhi Bhavan on Friday. He, however, hastened to add that AP Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s campaign was not responsible for the defeat of the Grand Alliance. The pre-poll alliances were not responsible for the defeat, he said.

The PCC chief participated in the 134th foundation day celebrations of the Congress party and later interacted with the reporters. “It is a fact that the Congress was defeated in the elections. But, several irregularities took place in the elections. We are collecting the evidences about the irregularities,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. “We are speaking to the Congress candidates to find out the reasons for the defeat. The Congress performed well in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls,” the PCC president.

'He said that they were not thinking now about the election of CLP leader, as the swearing-in ceremony of MLAs is yet to be completed. “We have campaigned well in the elections. But, the alliances should have forged well in advance,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. He said they would discuss soon with the State Congress affairs in-charge R C Khuntia on continuation of the Grand Alliance in the State. Irrespective of the defeat in the elections, the Congress leaders should work with the people and try to resolve their grievances.

“When we demanded counting of VVPATs, the returning officers were destroying them. On whose directions these things are happening?,” Uttam wondered. He said the Congress would lodge a complaint with Central Election Commission and also CEO on electoral malpractices. 

“Why the election officials failed to count VVPATs in Dharmapuri, Kodad and Ibrahimpatnam Assembly segments where the winning margin was just one per cent votes?,” Uttam Kumar Reddy asked. Why the EC was refusing to count the VVPATS, when there was a difference between the number of polled votes and VVPATs, he asked. “VVPATS missed at several places. With this, we got more doubts on the conduct of the elections,” the PCC chief said. He demanded that the Chief Electoral Officer should answer why the VVPATs missed in some segments. 

Congress celebrates 134th Foundation Day

The Karimnagar Congress unit celebrated the party’s 134th Foundation Day with DCC president Katakam Mruthyunjayam hoisting the party’s flag at the party office here on Friday. Many prominent leaders including TPCC working president Ponnam Prabhakar took part in the celebration. Speaking to the party cadre on the occasion, the DCC president said, “During the British era, it was the Congress that brought together the leaders to form a united front and fight for our freedom.”

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