Naidu demands action against YSRCP for beating up TDP candidate

Amaravati: TDP National President and former CM N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday demanded that the State Election Commissioner (SEC) take action against the culprits responsible for making a physical attack, causing injuries to TDP candidate V. Venkatesh in Kuppam civic poll.

In a letter to the SEC here, Naidu said it came to his notice that goons from the ruling YSRC party attacked V. Venkatesh, who was the TDP candidate for the 14th Ward in Kuppam municipality around 12 noon on Friday. The attack, Naidu claimed was carried out by YSRCP leader Muniswamy and his henchmen in order to prevent Dr. Venkatesh from filing nomination in the ongoing municipal polls.

The TDP told the SEC that over 25 to 30 goons had beaten up Venkatesh when he approached the nomination centre set up at MFC Junior College in Kuppam. The goons are said to have rained blows on Venkatesh and snatched away his nomination papers, tore them and then destroyed them. They also allegedly took away his cell phone.

Naidu said the attack was serious and Venkatesh was injured and left thrown on the roadside, outside of the nomination centre at MFC Junior College, Kuppam. When some of the followers of Dr. Venkatesh tried to intervene, the miscreants tried to attack them. Finally, the attackers fled the scene leaving Venkatesh in an unconscious state.

The TDP told the SEC that the High Court in a writ petition dated on November 2, ordered to provide security to candidates aspiring to contest in the present elections. In this regard, it is strongly demanded to take immediate action against the culprits and also provide immediate protection to all the candidates intending to file nominations.