YSRCP, TDP in verbal duel over poll violence

Vijayawada: Even after conclusion of elections in a single phase in Andhra Pradesh on May 13, the YSR Congress Party and its arch-rival the Telugu Desam Party are engaged in a verbal duel accusing each other's involvement in the violence that rocked on the polling day and a few days after it drawing serious exception from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The ruling party appears to be found on a sticky wicket with the video clips circulating on the alleged smashing of EVMs by its Matcherla MLA Pinneli Ramakrishna Reddy in faction-ridden Palnadu district.

AP Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena said stringent sections punishable up to seven years have been booked against the MLA in the EVM smashing case.

Citizens For Democracy convener Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar demanded immediate prosecution of all the accused in the violence cases filed across the State. There are conflicting reports on the Macherla MLA's arrest near Sangareddy as some sections of the media reported that he escaped from his hideout when a police party went to Isnapur to nab him.

Meanwhile, both the YSRCP and the TDP are trading charges against each other over violent incidents reported mainly in Palnadu, Tirupati and Anantapur districts following which the ECI transferred the Collector of Palnadu, SP of Tirupati and suspended SPs of Palnadu and Anantapur and a dozen subordinate officers for deliberate dereliction of duty. TDP leaders Varla Ramaiah, Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao, Ganta Srinivasa Rao and others at separate press conferences alleged that the goons of YSRCP indulged in sporadic cases of violence after coming to know about their imminent defeat.

The YSRCP, on the other hand, accused TDP of striking terror through violence in connivance with officials close to it.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the ECI to probe the violent incidents, under the leadership of IGP Vineet Brijjal in its 150-page report found prima facie evidence on lapses committed by the officials. It found that only 124 were arrested though 1370 were accused of indulging in violence under various sections. On a directive of ECI, serious action is being taken against Macherla MLA for taking law into hands and damaging EVMs. Sources say many officials will soon face disciplinary action.

TDP leaders wonder why no immediate action was taken against the MLA, who was on the run after the incident. The damage caused by the MLA at the polling station (Palvai Gate) was captured in the CCTV footage.

In a series of tweets, YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna said, "...we strongly urge the @ECISVEEP to take all instances of electoral indiscipline into consideration in a fair and nonpartisan manner and initiate appropriate action in a manner that the role of the commission as an impartial umpire is upheld."

He also raised a set of questions to the EC in light of how the commission dealt with the recent Macherla issue. While Pinnelli deals with the charges legally, the @YSRCParty has certain questions which the @ECISVEEP must address.

He posted on X (forermly Twitter) "if the Palvai gate video is from the official webcasting source (which is the EC’s exclusive property), how did it get leaked and why did the EC move so hastily without checking the authenticity of the video?"