Speaking to the media in Nellore on Sunday, former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy said, “Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is ‘scared’ of the opposition because his party did not dare to field candidates in the last local body elections, as the then Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had implemented many welfare schemes on a large scale and the public was satisfied with them.”
“This time, in view of the failure of the coalition government on every front, our candidates have entered the electoral fray on the call of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. This is upsetting Chandrababu Naidu, hence he has directed the government machinery to disrupt the electoral process.”
The former minister said that despite the directions of the Supreme Court, there has been no change in the pattern of atrocities taking place in the local body elections. “Irregularities like preventing our candidates from filing nomination papers are still continuing,” he said.
He alleged that candidates in the next phases of elections are being arrested and threatened, while some of our active leaders are kept in jail. Govardhan Reddy said that despite the Supreme Court's rebuke, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has not learned any lesson. They are using their old tricks and also making unnecessary statements.
The YSRCP leader said that we are considering all our options and will move ahead. We will not back down from the elections.