Jagan asks YSRCP functionaries to be on high alert for MLC by-poll

Vijayawada: A day after a humiliating defeat in the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) standing committee elections, losing all 10 seats to the NDA candidates, YSRCP president and Pulivendula MLA YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday asked the party functionaries to remain on high alert to prevent ‘political poaching’ by the TDP and its allies in the local body MLC elections.

For the elections notified for the lone MLC vacancy, caused due to disqualification of Jana Sena MLA Vamsi Srinivas Yadav before the Assembly polls, YSRCP has announced the candidature of former Minister Botcha Satyanarayana. Botcha lost the Assembly election from Chipurapalle to TDP’s Kala Venkata Rao.

At a meeting with the local body representatives from Pendurthi, Payakaraopeta and Narsipatnam constituencies at his Tadepalle camp office, Jagan said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is committing atrocities with money and power, and a message should be sent with the upcoming MLC election that injustice and exploitation will not prevail.

The YSRCP chief alleged unfair practices resorted to by TDP and its allies in the Visakhapatnam standing committee elections, where the Opposition misused power by ‘bribing and intimidating’ voters using the police. He criticised the portrayal of these actions by the NDA coalition as ‘achievements through certain media outlets.’