Onslaught by ruling YSRCP leaves TDP grasping for breath in Chittoor

Tirupati: TDP has been striving hard to come out of troubled waters since the poll debacle in April 2019 and the ruling YSRCP is making situation even more complex with its vindictive attitude. For the first time since the party was founded, the TDP is finding it difficult to field candidates for local body polls in number of seats across the state.

From the party chief and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to district leaders, everyone is criticising the "intimidating attitude" of the ruling party in its bid to halt the opposition parties from filing the nomination papers by hook or crook. Former minister for industries N Amaranatha Reddy told The Hans India that they had never seen this type of behaviour and elections.

"They are not allowing us to get various certificates required to file the nominations. Candidates need house and property tax payment certificates and caste certificates which they could not get now. The officials concerned have been expressing their inability to issue the certificates," he explained.

The party leaders are saying that certainly elections to local bodies would not be held fairly. They cite the example of Sadum in Punganur constituency where YSRCP cadres attacked the BJP candidate when he came to file the nomination and teared the papers.

TDP argument is that YSRCP knew it well that their party had to face the ire of the people who are so angry at its nine-month rule. As the party could not digest such negativity and defeat in local body polls, they are resorting to unlawful activities with the help of police, they say.

Amaranatha also said a clear indication of violation of the rules was that reservations for various MPTC, ZPTC and ward councillors seats have been changed after notification was released. This was seen never before. "When we asked the officials, they said the changes were made because of the print mistakes. This makes the entire election process a mockery," he said.

Another problem before the party leadership now is that it could not find candidates for several seats in number of constituencies. Both Amaranatha Reddy and MLC G Sreenivasulu have agreed that the situation was tough. Party cadres were not coming forward to contest with the fear of false cases, which may be filed against them and due to some threats. "We were putting in all efforts to field candidates from all seats. For this we are persuading and motivating the candidates by assuring them that we will stand by them in any situation", they said.

The party leadership seems to have lost all hopes in some constituencies due to lack of proper leadership. For instance, in Thamballapalle, TDP has been facing leadership crisis after the defeat of its candidate in last elections. In Satyavedu too, similar problem was there along with some other constituencies. It has to be seen how the party will manage to field its candidates from all seats in district as well as in the State when it has been facing rough weather now.