Tirupati: 20 TDP candidates seek nod to file nominations again

Tirupati: Alleging that they were prevented from filing nomination in February last year during filing of nominations for contesting the Tirupati municipal corporation election, 20 TDP candidates appealed to the district collector who is the election officer for the conduct of local body elections in Chittoor district to permit them to file nomination again for contesting as corporator in the Tirupati municipal election.

Former MLA and TDP Tirupati constituency in-charge M Suguna said that on Friday the 20 TDP candidates filed a written appeal in the office of the district election officer at Chittoor for permitting them to file the nominations again for contesting the Tirupati corporation election.

Speaking to media along with the 20 candidates here on Saturday, Suguna explained that following the SEC's recent decision to accept complaints regarding forcible withdrawal of nominations for municipalities till March 2, for consideration based on proofs, the 20 appealed for permission to file nomination again.

The 20 who were party candidates for contesting from different divisions in the Tirupati corporation tried in vain to file the nomination due to the intimidation and large scale violence unleashed by the YSRCP activists which was reported widely in media and led to the SEC directing government to immediately shift the then collector and also Tirupati Urban SP, she alleged. The relevant proofs on the violence incidents at the time filing of nominations along with media reports was also attached, as required by SEC.

She also appealed to the SEC to consider receiving nominations afresh for contesting in the Tirupati corporation election, duly taking into account the violence took place at the election offices in the city at the time of filing of nominations, in February last year..

The 20 narrated to the media the circumstances that prevented them from filing the nomination and explained the violence they faced at the time of nomination process for contesting the civic election.

TDP city president Dapuri Bhaskar Yadav, district vice president Sura Sudhakar Reddy, Telugu Mahila district president Pushpavathi were present.