The ruling Telugu Desam Party is said to be terribly upset with chief electoral officer (CEO) Bhanwarlal for not “cooperating” with it in the ongoing Nandyal by-elections.
The TDP has been lodging a series of complaints to the CEO against YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy who launched a scathing attack on the TDP in the last 15 days, even calling for shooting down and hanging of TDP president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
They are grumbling that except issuing notice to Jagan, there was no action or even warning from the CEO against the YSRC.
The TDP leaders also point out that Bhanwarlal turned a blind eye to the complaints that Jagan’s media house Sakshi was being misused for campaigning for the YSRC.
Under instructons from the CEO, the police have not been allowing free distribution of money by the ruling party, while the TDP leaders suspect that the police were indirectly helping Silpa in money distribution through his cooperative society.
And the height of frustration of the TDP leaders was evident when the police at the behest of the CEO stopped the pantry van bringing food for Naidu and checked it thoroughly in the presence of media.
According to the TDP leaders, Bhanwararlal was a favourite IAS officer of late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and enjoyed key positions under the YSR regime. Now, he is reciprocating by helping the YSRC, feel the TDP leaders.
Now, Naidu is desperately trying to influence Bhanwarlal using his good offices with the Central Election Commission, but one doubts the BJP government at the centre will come to his rescue at all.
