Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Police foisted cases on me: ex-ZP vice-chairman

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH MARCH 25. The former ZP vice-chairman and district Telugu Rythu president, G. Lakshmi Reddy, who was charged with engineering attacks on persons who backed the CPI-sponsored unsuccessful Gudur sarpanch candidate, K. Subbanna, and ransacking their houses, on Monday accused the police of foisting cases on him, his two sons and followers under political pressure.

Addressing a press conference here, he wondered at the reasons which brought `those claiming to belong' to the Telugu Desam Party, Congress and CPI, strongly opposed to each other on ideological grounds, together to support a CPI functionary. He charged them with coming together to settle personal scores and promote group politics in Gudur panchayat and said it was improper.

In Gudur panchayat (SC reserved), SCs who constituted a majority of the population, elected his nominee, K. Chandrasekhar, considering his wherewithal to serve the people and defeated Subbanna, who was backed by the TDP, Congress and CPI, Mr. Lakshmi Reddy said. However, some unscrupulous elements in these parties got a case foisted on him and his followers by resorting to false propaganda, he alleged. The leaders not only humiliated a senior leader, Mr. Subbanna, by ensuring his defeat, but also instigated women to foist a case on him, he claimed. He advised the leaders to compete in rendering public service and gain their confidence, rather than encourage "criminal politics and foist cases". Contrary to the TDP guidelines that any independent could be supported, these leaders not only supported a CPI candidate, but also brought out pamphlets containing the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's portrait, appealing to elect him, he alleged.

The post-poll disturbances were due to the failure of the police to ensure safe return of sarpanch candidates to their houses and in organising bandobust during the upa-sarpanch's election, he alleged. Alleging that the police left the panchayat after polling, he urged the police administration to enquire into the facts and uphold justice, without succumbing to political pressure and proceed with the case if they found him, his sons, Raghunatha Reddy and Manmohan Reddy, and followers guilty.

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