Andhra Pradesh Police have booked Government Advisor and YSR Congress Party General Secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy for allegedly making provocative statements about the vote counting process.
A case was registered against him at Tadepalli Police Station in Guntur district after leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) lodged a complaint that the YSRCP leader made statements intended to disturb the counting process. The case has been filed under Sections 153 and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 of the Representation of People Act.
TDP Legal Cell General Secretary Gudipati Lakshminarayana had complained that Ramakrishna Reddy, while conducting a training session for counting agents of the YSRCP, made certain remarks with mala fide intention to disturb the counting. The complainant alleged that the YSRCP leader violated the model code of conduct and that his remarks amount to creating enmity and ill will between different classes and groups.
Ramakrishna Reddy reportedly told the party’s chief election agents at a meeting on May 29 to select those activists who do not care for rules and can subdue the agents of other parties as counting agents.
Terming the statement provocative, the TDP apprehended that it might stoke violence during the counting of votes on June 4 and thereafter.
A delegation of TDP leaders led by General Secretary Devineni Umamaheswara Rao had submitted a memorandum to Additional Chief Electoral Officer M.N. Harendhira Prasad, seeking action by the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Ramakrishna Reddy The TDP leaders stated that the statement should not be taken lightly against the backdrop of the violence that occurred during and after the polling.
Simultaneous elections to the 175-member state Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state were held on May 13. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.