TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday met the Election Commission in the national capital. He submitted a 11-page representation to the EC on the electoral irregularities being committed by the state government. He sought the EC intervention to set the house in order.

Later, speaking to media persons, Chandrababu Naidu said that the ruling party was removing the votes of the opposition parties. He said he had never heard of such actions by any political party in any of the states in the country.

“For the first time, I am seeing a party removing the votes of other parties,” Naidu told the media persons. He alleged that the state electoral officer was not able to do anything as the government was going aggressive against the opposition parties. He also alleged that the government was booking false cases against those who question the government.

He said that he had submitted representation to the EC with all evidence. He also said that he had given evidence to the EC on removal of the votes. He alleged that the government was giving the data of the people to a private agency. The data is being collected by the volunteers and given to private agencies, he alleged.

Chandrababu Naidu wanted the Election Commission to visit Andhra Pradesh and see for itself the irregularities being committed by the government. He said he wanted the EC to send a delegation of the senior officials to AP to verify their complaint.

“I have asked for an independent committee of officials to visit the state. They should not meet the officials in the state. They should visit the places on their own and verify the irregularities,” Naidu said.

Naidu alleged that the government was resorting to fake cases against the opposition parties. He cited the example of the state police booking a case against him in Punganur and Angalla where the ruling party activists have attacked the TDP leaders and the police.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday accused the Election Commission of being pro-government and demanded action against BJP’s Bhopal candidate Pragya Thakur for “insulting” Mahatma Gandhi.

Talking to media after meeting EC officials, Naidu said, “The decisions of the Election Commission are very controversial, one-sided, pro-establishment.”

Accusing the EC of supporting the government, Naidu said: “We are fighting against the Election Commission and it is very unfortunate for all of us”.

He also questioned the EC for ordering re-polling in Andhra Pradesh after 25 days.

The TDP chief said action should be taken against BJP’s Bhopal candidate Pragya Thakur for insulting Mahatma Gandhi.

“Even now you are not taking any action. If it is BJP MPs, Prime Minister, Amit Shah, you are not taking action. This is not right. I have complained to them (EC officials),” he said.

Thakur came under widespread criticism after describing Gandhi’s killer Nathuram Godse as a “deshbakht” (patriot).

On West Bengal, Naidu said the Commission had no right to transfer any official. “It is against the spirit of federalism…transferring officials is akin to surrendering to the Central government,” Naidu said.

He also targeted the EC for curtailing the election campaign in West Bengal by invoking Article 324 of the Constitution, raising questions over permission given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct two meetings in West Bengal.

“I am a senior politician of this country and I have seen so many elections. But I have never seen this type of (Election) Commission,” he said.

With less than a week for announcement of Lok Sabha poll results, Naidu has planned meetings with several opposition leaders during his two day visit to the national capital.A

He met Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury and Aam Aadmi party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday evening.

On Saturday, he is expected to meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi here and later Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati in Lucknow.

Angry over the Election Commission preventing him from holding review meetings on ongoing projects, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday indirectly threatened the poll body with legal action to recover cost overrun.

Stepping up his attack on the Election Commission, Naidu alleged that it was usurping powers of a democratically elected government.

In a nine-page letter to the EC, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) lashed out at the poll body saying it was intentionally paralyzing the state administration.

Stating that the review of ongoing projects like Polavaram and construction of the new capital city was required for completing of the works in a time-bound manner, Naidu said the Election Commission would be solely responsible for the cost overrun and loss of time of these projects.

“The people of Andhra Pradesh reserve the right to recover the cost overrun amounts from all concerned personally who come in the way of timely completion of these projects by initiating appropriate legal proceedings,” he wrote.

Naidu told the poll panel that since there was a gap of nearly six weeks between the conclusion of the elections and counting of votes, it was not constitutionally and legally correct to deprive the people of the state the right to be governed by their democratically elected government for five years.

He said since the electorate exercised their franchise, the poll panel had no jurisdiction to stop any review meeting by him or briefing by the officers.

Naidu said the Chief Electoral Officer’s comments that the Chief Minister did not have powers to review the departments was surprising and shocking and alleged that the CEO was exceeding his jurisdiction.

“Comments by CEO were absurd and arbitrary and also belittle relevance and primacy of political governance in a democratic polity.”

Naidu also took strong exception to the CEO directing Additional Director General (Intelligence) not to report to the Chief Minister and wondered if Director (IB) and National Security Advisor were are also prohibited from functioning under the Prime Minister.

“Have you issued similar orders in other states? If not, why this discriminating orders in case of the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh?”

The TDP chief pointed out that Prime Minister and also Chief Minister in Telangana continued to hold review meetings of the departments.

Stating that seven people died in thunderbolts last week, Naidu said this could have been averted if the democratically elected government was allowed to function.

“Who is responsible for these deaths?” asked Naidu and said many critical issues require urgent attention of the state government and cannot be postponed till May 23.

He reiterated that the Election Commission failed to conduct the elections properly, depriving many people of their right to vote.

Naidu wrote that in his 40-year-long political career he never saw an election which was so badly conducted, logistically mismanaged and poorly organised.

Elections to 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state were held in a single phase on April 11.