The demand of the opposition parties for a probe into the alleged opening of the strongroom set up at the MRO’s office in Vizianagaram on May 16 in the presence of two YSRCP leaders, reportedly without intimating the other contestants, is growing louder.
Local MLA Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy’s son-in-law Eswar Kaushik and Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP) president Mamidi Appala Naidu were said to be present when the strongroom was opened.
Mr. Kaushik, however, claimed that he was present there with the prior consent of the officials.
Independent candidate from Vizianagaram Assembly constituency Meesala Geeta on May 19 (Sunday) appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to order a probe into the incident. Alleging that she and the candidates of opposition parties were not intimated about the opening of the strongroom, Ms. Geeta said the presence of the YSRCP leaders with mobile phones there raised doubts.
“The revenue officials connived with the YSRCP leaders to tamper with the postal ballot papers stored in the strongroom. The opening of the strongroom in the night and the presence of only YSRCP leaders there is highly deplorable. The ECI should order a probe into the issue,” Ms. Geeta said.
Officials faulted
Meanwhile, TDP MP candidate Kalisetti Appalanaidu and MLA candidate Aditi Vijayalakshmi Gajapathi Raju alleged that the officials concerned had failed to give them a “satisfactory reply over the alleged malpractice” at the strongroom.
“We have approached the officials several times on the issue, but to no avail,” Ms. Vijayalakshmi told the media here.
The officials concerned had informed only one Independent MP candidate about the segregation of postal ballots held at the Collector’s office at 3 p.m. on May 16, while the other candidates were “deliberately kept in the dark”, she said.
“The segregation of postal ballot was not done at the Collector’s office on May 16. Instead, the officials opened the strongroom set up at the MRO’s office in a suspicious manner after 9 p.m. in the presence of Mr. Veerabhadra Swamy’s son-in-law Eswar Kaushik and MPP president Mamidi Appala Naidu. How can the officials allow them with their mobile phones? This calls for a high-level inquiry,” Ms. Vijayalakshmi alleged.
Mr. Kalisetti Appalanaidu alleged that the Returning Officers released “cooked-up documents to cover up their mistakes”.
However, Mr. Eswar Kaushik claimed that he was present at the strongroom with the “prior consent of the officials” to observe the shifting of postal ballots to the Collector’s office.
Refuting the allegations made by the opposition parties, he alleged that the TDP leaders, who were “doubtful of their victory in the elections, were trying to show him in poor light”.
“Mr. Veerabhadra Swamy sent me to the MRO’s office after obtaining written consent from the officials concerned as he was not present there. The issue has been blown out of proportion. The TDP is dragging the issue,“ Mr. Kaushik said.
