TDP to boycott MPTC, ZPTC polls in Andhra Pradesh, says Naidu

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday announced that his party is boycotting the Man Mandal Parishad (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) elections in Andhra Pradesh.

"The Constitution of India has empowered central or state election commissions. Those institutions used to conduct elections in free and fair elections. But in Andhra Pradesh, local body elections were held in very unfair conditions," Naidu said while addressing the media here.

The TDP chief also targeted the newly elected State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nilam Sawhney and the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

"The new state election commissioner took charge on April 1. Even before that, the Chief Minister had dictated to conduct (MPTC and ZPTC) elections within a week. The ministers were speaking of even the dates of polling," the former Chief Minister of the state said.

The new SEC on Thursday sent letters to all political parties to attend the meeting with her today.

"The letter was received yesterday evening. But she later announced the election schedule and gave a notification for MPTC and ZPTC elections. Then what for she had called the all-party meeting? To enforce the notification? I ask the SEC whether she has eligibility to conduct the election?"

"Ruling party has made many of the MPTCs and ZPTCs unmous. Now the SEC gave a schedule for elections at the remaining places. She is acting as a puppet in the hands of the ruling party," alleged Naidu.

He also said that ruling YSRCP has indulged in all sorts of violations -- used muscle and money power -- to make elections unmous. Candidates were threatened to withdraw their nominations by brute force.

The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission yesterday has issued a notification for the resumption of stalled poll procedure to the MPTC, ZPTC in the state.

( With inputs from ANI )