The first-ever all-party meeting, convened by newly-appointed Andhra Pradesh state election commissioner Neelam Sawhney, ended on an unpleasant note with most of the opposition parties boycotting the same.
Telugu Desam Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and Jana Sena Party issued statements saying they were boycotting the all-party meeting convened by Neelam Sawhney in protest against the issuance of old notification for the zilla parishad and mandal parishad elections.
While Congress representative Masthal Wali attended the all-party meeting, but walked out of it within seconds, stating that there was no point in conducting the meeting after the issuance of the election notification.
Masthan Wali said the entire election process had become a farce because the ruling YSR Congress party was resorting to atrocities and intimidation of the opposition parties.
“The SEC should have given four weeks’ time to conduct the elections. It should not act like a government agent,” he said, adding that his party, however, would contest the elections.
CPI leader K Ramakrishna, who also boycotted the meeting, said it was surprising why the SEC issued the notification so urgently, without giving sufficient time for the political parties.
Only YSRC leader Lella Appi Reddy, CPI (M) leader Y V Rao and Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader Adinarayana attended the all-party meeting.