Pointing out that the TDP activists have identified a huge dump of ‘election gifts’ carrying photos of the YSRCP leaders to which are to be distributed to the voters to induce them, Rajya Sabha member and senior TDP leader, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, on Wednesday made an appeal to the Election Commission to keep a strict vigil on these stocks besides booking cases against those responsible for storing these material.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner and released to the media, Kanakamedala said that the seized material comprised wrist watches, sarees, grinders, T-shirts, cookers and speakers carrying the photos of the YSRCP leaders, including their party president, Jagan Mohan Reddy. This material is aimed at distributing to the voters to induce them to vote for the YSRCP, he felt.
Stating that the material was caught by the TDP activists on Tuesday at the old FCI Godown, on Old Airport Road in Renigunta of Srikalahasti Assembly segment, the MP said that a complaint was raised immediately on C-Vigil app and another complaint on the same app late in the evening of Tuesday. “But till now there is no response from the election officials on this,” Kanakamedala said in the letter.
Also, a complaint was lodged with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and the district election officer of Tirupati besides taking the matter to the notice of the district Collector, the Superintendent of Police and the local returning officer. Still there is no response from any one of them, the TDP senior leader, who is also an advocate, said. The whole night only the TDP activists have been guarding the premises to thwart any attempt to lift the stock from there with the connivance of the officials, he stated.
“Till now no official is bothered to even visit the area and submit a report either to the Election Commission or the CEO,” the MP said. However, the local tehsildar who made a casual visit to the godown and left immediately while the returning officer, when contacted said that since it is a huge material the tax officials have to come to assess the value of the dump. The police did not even bother to make any attempt to guard the whole stock, he added.
Observing that the TDP strongly believes that there are several such godowns in and around Tirupati where large amounts of gifts are stored, Kanakamedala said that the State administration, which is now functioning under the poll panel since the Model Code of Conduct is in force, is adopting an indifferent attitude. The MP demanded the Election Commission to initiate immediate action to seize the whole material and keep a strict vigil on the stocks.
Kanakamedala also wanted the poll panel to conduct inspection of surrounding areas for such storages and identify the purchasers of this material with the source of funds besides booking a criminal case for violation of Model Code. The Rajya Sabha member also wanted the poll panel to fix the responsibility with the election officials for their failure to act on time despite lodging complaints.
