The Rajampet

Nearly 10,000 activists and sympathisers of YSR Congress Party were booked in bind-over cases at the behest of Congress leaders, YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy alleged on Monday.

During his road show at Simhadripuram in Pulivendula constituency, Mr. Reddy accused the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party leaders of colluding to pressurise the police to book bind over cases on innocent persons supporting his party.

“Police are beating my party activists in the guise of binding them over,” he alleged.

Referring to the alleged attack on TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Reddy held him responsible for the incident as he instigated the villagers by his provocative speech.

Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi too provoked the people by his remarks and by twisting his moustache in Pulivendula, challenging the local people's self-respect, he alleged.

In his campaign in Balapanur, YSR's native village, Mr. Reddy accused the Congress of indulging in murky politics and levelling wild allegations on him every day. He recalled that the Lok Sabha candidate of TDP had camped in Balapanur on the polling day in 2009, but could hardly secure 20 votes in the village.

Meanwhile, notices were served on 11 candidates who filed nomination papers as Independents in Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency as officials decided that they are non-serious candidates, Kadapa District Election Officer and Collector Shashi Bhushan Kumar said on Monday.

He told newsmen here that action was initiated to withdraw facilities - such as polling and counting agents and vehicle permits etc., he told a news conference here. Some Independent candidates did not submit their election expenditure although other candidates submitted two rounds of expenditure reports so far and they too would be treated as non-serious candidates, he said.

60 persons arrested

Seventeen cases of pre-poll disturbance in election meetings were booked and 60 persons were arrested, as obstructing any candidates' right to canvass is an offence under the Representation of People's Act. The DEO said resorting to personal slander, throwing challenges, provocation on caste, religion and other forms were also offences but one case was booked so far with regard to appealing voters in a church in Porumamilla, he said. Notices were served in two cases on receiving complaints and relevant video-clippings were sent to EC authorities, he added.

Nearly Rs. 2.20 crore was seized and 26 cases were booked. Seized coins of Rs. 5 lakh belonging to GMR Company for a toll gate on National Highway No. 7 and money seized from cow-herds who were going to purchase cows in a shandy were returned.

Some instances of terrorising voters were recorded in 12 polling stations in the past, he said. Adequate security forces have landed and more forces would come in the next three days, he said.

As per the Election Commission (EC) guidelines, polling officials or personnel should not enter the voting compartment on the pretext of assisting voters, the Collector said.