Seemingly concerned that the Vijayawada police may arrest former MLA and current candidate for Vijayawada (central) constituency, Bonda Umamaheshwar Rao, in connection with the recent stone pelting incident involving Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has sent an SOS to the Election Commission of India.
Former Rajya Sabha member and senior leader Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar penned a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday, requesting the deputation of a central team from the ECI to Vijayawada.
The purpose would be to conduct an impartial inquiry into the stone pelting incident and take appropriate measures.
Kumar alleged that despite being expected to operate under the directives of the Election Commission, police officials were still acting at the behest of the ruling YSR Congress party.
"Over the past five years, police officials have harassed TDP leaders, and now they are targeting opposition candidates," he claimed.
Regarding the recent stone pelting incident, Kumar asserted that the police had filed an attempt to murder case for what was merely the hurling of a small stone, which they failed to recover.
"Using this as a pretext, the police are attempting to implicate TDP candidate Bonda Uma by pressuring certain innocents to disclose his name," he added.
The former MP urged the EC to obtain independent reports from its observers on the stone pelting incident, particularly probing the role of the Vijayawada police.
Meanwhile, Bonda Uma accused the police of conspiring to deliberately harass and frame TDP candidates.
He claimed that police had become puppets in the hands of criminals and highlighted alleged instances of torture and false confessions.
Rao further emphasized the need for vigilance by the Election Commission regarding developments in Vijayawada, citing his own experience of police harassment after filing his nomination.
He described a significant police presence at his office, including high-ranking officers, and urged the EC to remain vigilant.