Chandrababu Naidu writes, meets the EC; protests against re-polling

Amaravati: Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu met the Election Commission (EC) in New Delhi on Monday to register his protest on the EC’s decision to conduct re-polling in five polling stations of Chandragiri assembly segment falling under Chittoor parliamentary constituency.

Naidu has also written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora questioning the rationale behind re-polling in five assembly seats after the complaint was made by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

Andhra Pradesh went to polls for 175 assembly seats and 25 parliamentary seats on April 11.

The Hindustan Times has reported that, through his letter, Naidu has asked, “The EC has already conducted re-polling in five other polling stations in three districts on May 6, based on certain complaints. If there were any issues in the polling stations in Chandragiri assembly constituency, why didn’t the Commission enquire into the same and conduct the re-polling on May 6?”

“We have seen polling being conducted in different phases, but have never come across re-polling also being held in phases,” he said.

Naidu asked whether the EC will order re-polling in other booths if the YSR Congress leaders come up with fresh complaints.

Naidu alleged that the EC didn’t consider any of the complaints lodged by the TDP leaders after the polling on April 11 stating issues in Chandragiri constituency and demanding re-polling in nine other polling stations. “But it acted swiftly on the complaints lodged by the YSRC leaders,” he criticised.

The TDP has alleged that the YSRCP had influenced the EC through chief secretary L V Subrahmanyam. The opposition leaders submitted the complaint to the chief secretary, who in turn referred it to the EC seeking re-polling in certain polling stations. In what way, was the chief secretary concerned with re-polling?” TDP official spokesperson P Anuradha asked.

However, the YSRCP has dismissed the allegations. YSRCP’s spokesperson  Ambati Rambabu was quoted by the Hindustan Times to have said, “The EC took the decision based on the concrete evidence submitted by the returning officers on the malpractices. Why are the TDP leaders worried over re-polling, if they have not indulged in any malpractices? If the people are with the TDP, they will vote for it again,” he argued.