VIJAYAWADA: Panchayat Raj minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy has lashed out at Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu for releasing the TDP manifesto for the panchayat elections, which are fought on an apolitical basis. He alleged that it is against the Constitutional guidelines and said that Naidu was trying to create a chaotic atmosphere in the villages.
Speaking to the media in Tirupati on Thursday, Ramachandra Reddy questioned who has given the right to Naidu to release the manifesto when the Model Code of Conduct is in force and alleged that Naidu has been conspiring to create troubles in the villages while the State government has been encouraging unanimous elections. Naidu didn’t even get a majority even in his own district in the Assembly polls, he said and alleged that the TDP chief never worked for the people.
On the occasion, the minister accused SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar of arm-twisting bureaucrats and government employees by using his official position. "The government is following the verdict given by the Supreme Court on elections, but the Election Commissioner has been acting as a monarch, misusing the constitutional powers," he claimed.
He accused Nimmagadda of becoming a pawn in the hands of Naidu, who has been using the SEC to settle old scores. The minister said the unanimous election norm has been in place since 2002 and there is nothing new in it, but surprisingly the SEC has been going against it, commenting that they need to come under scanner.
In Tadepalli, YSRC MLA Ambati Rambabu said that Naidu wants to turn non-party elections into party elections and questioned what action will the SEC take against Naidu for releasing the manifesto for panchayat elections.