BJP leader calls for removal of Andhra Chief Secretary after attack on CM Reddy

Former MP and BJP's candidate for the Araku Lok Sabha seat Kothapalli Geetha, on Monday demanded the Election Commission to remove Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director General of Police from their duties following the attack on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu.

Former MP and BJP's candidate for the Araku Lok Sabha seat Kothapalli Geetha, on Monday demanded the Election Commission to remove Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director General of Police from their duties following the attack on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu. Notably, on Saturday evening, CM Jagan was left with a deep cut above his left eyebrow, narrowly missing his eyes, after an unidentified person hurled a stone at the chief minister during the 'Memantha Siddham' bus yatra in Vijayawada, said sources.

"An attack on a person of the Chief minister rank. What will be the protection of the candidates like us in the state? We consider this as a security failure of the AP government. Police officials have already failed to maintain law and order. The Election Commission should take it as a serious issue and change the Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary and DGP from their duties," he said in a statement. Geetha also expressed concern over the violent behaviour of YSRCP members during their campaign, including breaking LED vehicles. She also raised the issue of safety for candidates, citing an attack on the CM candidate and the potential danger for candidates like her.

"YSRCP Gundas are creating scaring situation, they are breaking our LED vehicles during the campaign. Attack reported on the CM candidate, what about the situation if they attack a candidate like us," she said. "Officials are creating obstacles for the election candidates at every step of their campaigns. We have the right to campaign democratically. We have the right to campaign in a democratic mode. We filed complaints to the election commission to take action against the officials who are supporting the ruling government and not giving permission to us," she said.

Meanwhile, following the attack on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, YSRCP has complained against TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan with the Election Commission (EC), asking the poll body to initiate action against the two opposition leaders for making provocative statements. YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said, "We've complained to the EC that there is a conspiracy behind the attack on CM Jagan. We urge the poll body to take necessary action against Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan and restrain them from making provocative statements and ensure that this kind of incident does not recur."

The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for May 13, with vote counting set for June 4. Notably, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly consists of 175 seats and a party would need at least 88 seats to form a government.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP won with a majority of 102 seats. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP won 67 seats. The BJP could only win four seats by contesting against the two regional heavyweights. In the 2019 Assembly elections, the YSRCP won with a thumping majority of 151 seats, while the TDP was confined to 23 seats.

The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha as well as the assemblies will take place on June 4. (ANI)

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