When Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar was the state election commissioner during the YSR Congress party government led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, he proved to be a tough nut to crack.
Nimmagadda, who was appointed as SEC during the erstwhile Telugu Desam Party regime, stonewalled every attempt by the Jagan government to conduct the elections to the rural and urban local bodies and capture them, on the pretext of Covid-19 pandemic.
When Nimmagadda was removed unceremoniously from the SEC post and replaced by retired judge V Kanagaraj, he fought a pitched legal battles against the Jagan government both in the high court and the supreme court to get back his position.
He even issued notices to the police and district authorities for failing to stall the attempt of the YSRCP to bulldoze the election process by threatening the TDP contenders. He used to take serious action on the complaints received from the TDP.
It was only before his tenure was coming to a close in 2021 did Nimmagadda conduct the local body elections. He did not deter even if the YSRCP accused him of being pro-TDP because of his caste affiliation.
Nimmagadda was succeeded by retired IAS officer Neelam Sawhney, who served as the chief secretary during the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime.
Since she was close to Jagan and was given extension as chief secretary twice, the YSRCP leaders expected that she would be loyal to him and his party.
But much to their disappointment, Neelam Sawhney has not been able to help them in any manner and entertain their complaints against the TDP leaders, who are capturing the local bodies, municipalities and corporations using threats, coercion and engineering defections.
In the last few months, the TDP along with Jana Sena Party captured several municipalities and a few corporations. Despite complaints from the YSRCP, Neelam Sawhney did not even issue a notice to the TDP, let alone stopping them.
On Monday, too, a YSRCP delegation, comprising former minister Vellampalli Srinivas, MLC M Arun Kumar, former MLA Malladi Vishnu, and NTR district YSRCP president Devineni Avinash, met the SEC in Vijayawada to demand immediate action against TDP leaders and complicit police officials.
They alleged that the ruling TDP orchestrated violence, kidnapping, and gross misuse of power during the Tiruvuru Municipal Chairman election.
They submitted video evidence of TDP-led attacks and appealed for stringent measures to ensure a fair and transparent election process.
Yet, there was no positive assurance from Neelam Sawhney, say the YSRCP leaders.
