Congress will show its strength in local polls: APCC president Sailajanath
Kadapa: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Sake Sailajanath said on Wednesday that the Congress party will prove its strength in the local body elections if the poll process is done in a fair manner and no violence is indulged in by the ruling party.
“If the ruling YSRC engages goons in this election, we will resist such actions,” he said and urged the officials to hold the elections in an impartial manner.
Addressing the media at the district Congress office here, the Congress chief said that the ruling party had committed irregularities and intimidated the nominees of other political parties in the last polls. “The YSRC government is planning to make the elections unanimous by use of force,” he alleged.
Sailajanath said he would meet the state election commissioner soon to seek smooth conduct of the polls. “The BJP and the Janasena are not speaking out against attacks on Dalits. The BJP is trying to tie the country to corporate powers,” he said.
He said Jagan and Chandrababu are not having the guts to question Prime Minister Modi while Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan has become a pawn in the hands of the BJP.
He appealed to the people to vote for the party that protects the interests of the peasantry. Development of the poor and weaker sections is possible only with the Congress in power, he said.
The Congress chief said the BJP at the Center had encouraged corporate houses and brought in laws to the detriment of farmers. The state government must immediately avoid actions like fitting electricity meters to agricultural pump sets.
He said only the Congress would be able to fulfill the aspirations of the people and check divisive tendencies. “The YSRC government has completely failed in resolving public issues since its inception and the Jagan government is facing fierce opposition from the people over its style of functioning.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee working president Dr N.Tulasi Reddy and district Congress president Neeli Srinivasa Rao were among those present at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Jana Sena Rayalaseema Parliamentary joint convener Sunkara Srinivas said the Election Commission was working hard to ensure that local body elections are held smoothly. Speaking to reporters at the Janasena party office in Kadapa, he said, "We urge the Election Commission to accept nominations online as well."
The Janasena, he said, would discuss with the BJP and announce joint candidates for the local body elections.
He called on the youths and women to use the election platform to seek faster development of the villages. “We would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission against the police officials who acted unilaterally on behalf of the ruling party.” He appealed to the collector and the SP to ensure smooth conduct of the elections.
Meanwhile, Kadapa district collector Chevuru Harikiran directed officials to ensure holding the panchayat elections in a transparent manner. "The Model Code of Conduct is mandatory.” He had a meeting with the election nodal officers on Wednesday after a video conference with the Election Commissioner, the DGP and other officials.
He directed officials to carry out the tasks assigned to them in compliance with the Covid-19 rules and regulations.
Earlier, collector C Harikiran told the state election commissioner N Ramesh Kumar that all arrangements were being made for panchayat elections in the district. The meeting was attended by district SP Anbu Rajan, JCs M Gautami (Revenue), CM Saikant Verma (Development), Dharmachandra Reddy (Welfare), DRO Malola, ZP CEO Sudhakar, DPO Prabhakar Reddy and other district officials.
Kurnool district collector G Veera Pandian said elections for 970 grama panchayats and 9,948 wards would be held across the district.
Addressing the media at his conference hall on Wednesday, the district collector said all arrangements would be made soon for the conduct of polls in a smooth and fair manner. Some 17 committees have been formed to shoulder the poll-related responsibilities.
The collector said as many as 21,15,243 voters would cast their votes to elect the village sarpanches and ward members. As per the Covid-19 protocol, all steps have been taken to conduct the elections in a smooth manner. District SP K Fakeerappa, district panchayat officer Prabhakar Rao and others were present.
