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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu accused Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of double standards towards the State Election Commission (SEC), accusing him of supporting election authorities when their decisions favoured him and opposing them when they did not.
As per a press release, CM Naidu recalled incidents in which the SEC commissioner had allegedly faced public criticism, legal challenges and intimidation during the previous regime, claiming that the commissioner was even compelled to seek central security. He also questioned Jagans stance towards the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that his support for or opposition to constitutional authorities depended on political convenience. CM Naidu further alleged that Jagan was exploiting Gen Z and using young people as pawns for political gain. He warned that emotionally driven and aspirational youngsters could be misled by political leaders into making choices that might jeopardise their future. CM Naidu also alleged that factional leaders and criminal elements lure vulnerable individuals into crime by initially involving them in minor offences and gradually drawing them into more serious criminal activities. He expressed concern that the situation becomes more dangerous when political parties allegedly patronise such elements instead of guiding them towards a better path. Emphasising the importance of character, discipline and values in politics, CM Naidu said that in his four decades in public life, he had never sat closely with rowdies. While acknowledging that political leaders sometimes have to deal with difficult local situations, he maintained that deliberately turning young people into hardened criminals and failing to guide them constructively was unacceptable. He called for an end to the alleged political patronage of criminal elements and urged leaders to act responsibly, protect young people from being exploited and ensure that they build a better future. This comes after YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday met State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha at the State Election Commission office in Vijayawada and raised concerns about the ongoing municipal election nomination process. Criticising the 2023 law, he also called for a transparent and impartial process for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), saying that the practice of ruling parties selecting the CEC must come to an end. He said the selection process should involve the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India.(ANI)
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