Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said the Election Commission (EC) has lost its credibility as 'it functions on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his office'.
The polling for the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections concluded in the early hours of Friday and a record 79 per cent of 3.96 crore voters exercised their franchise. The fate of the political parties is sealed in the electronic voting machiners.
Following the conclusion of polling for Andhra Pradesh assembly, both the Telugu Desam Party headed by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress party headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy are expressing confidence, at least for the public consumption, that they would come to power in the state.
YSR Congress party general secretary and Rajya Sabha member V Vijay Sai Reddy demanded that the Election Commission of India deploy central reserve police forces for the protection of electronic voting machines in the strong rooms.
YSR Congress party on Saturday accused Telugu Desam Party president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu of indulging in throwing tantrums and making baseless allegations and incoherent comments only out of fear of losing power.
Speculation over a post poll scenario brings forth heavy hitters from the regions, sometimes derisively called political weathercocks. So expect their actions and statements to be dissected for hidden meaning.
A little over 79 per cent voters cast their votes in the simultaneous elections to 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday, poll officials said on Friday.
Reports from ground zero in Visakhapatnam are giving an interesting input, though it is too early to make any prediction.
A day after polling in Andhra Pradesh, which was marred by the malfunctioning of some EVMs, Chief Minister and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday blasted the Election Commission for what he called "turning the elections into a big farce".
Till a few years ago, Anantapur had been witnessing factional killings between two groups led by Paritala Ravindra and Maddelacheruvu Suri. After the death of Ravi and arrest of Suri, the factonism had come down completely.
It is for the people to decide to which party they should vote for in the elections. Irrespective of the pulls and pressures, majority of the voters would already make up their mind as to whom they would vote for, even before coming to the polling station.
The high-voltage electioneering in Andhra Pradesh has come to an end and the verdict of the people is now sealed in the electronic voting machines.
With about 77 per cent polling in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh, both the TDP and YSRCP on Friday exuded confidence of forming the next government in the state and winning a majority of Lok Sabha seats.
Praja Shanti party president K A Paul was spotted urging all the voters to vote for YSRC party candidate in Bhimavaram. This is anti-climax. Pawan Kalyan is contesting from this seat.
Making history of sorts, polling in some booths in Andhra Pradesh continued till midnight as the total voter turnout reached nearly 80 per cent, capping hours of tension and clashes that left two dead and scores of others injured.
