Put DL under house arrest for intimidating voters: Ambati

Ysr Congress Party leader Ambati Rambabu on Sunday demanded that the police immediately put Congress candidate for the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency DL Ravindra Reddy under house arrest for threatening voters and polling agents with dire consequences at polling booths.

Talking to media persons at the Secretariat after submitting a memorandum in this connection to Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal, Mr Rambabu said Dr Ravindra Reddy has violated Election Code by threatening the voters and polling agents with dire consequences if they cast their votes against him.

Mr Rambabu further alleged that Dr Ravindra Reddy was continuing his campaign despite the time to do so having ended on May 6.

“He is continuing to campaign at polling booths in Jammalamadugu and seeking votes in his favour,” Mr Rambabu said.

The former PCC secretary further alleged that Dr Ravindra Reddy was picking arguments with the polling officials and was trying to intimidate them along with his supporters.

“Such blatant acts are reflective of his fear of losing the by-elections. He is resorting to threatening voters and polling officials. He knows his malicious campaign against Mr Jaganmohan Reddy has failed to work,” Mr Rambabu said.

The Ysr Congress Party leader also wondered how the officials of the Election Commission permitted the breaking of a coconut at an electronic voting machine by Dr Ravindra Reddy’s wife Subhadramma in the polling booth.

He demanded Chief Electoral Officer Banwarlal to suspend those election officials for allowing Ms Subhadramma to go ahead with the purely religious ritual.