HYDERABAD, 1 December 2003 — The Telugu Desam Party yesterday decided to represent to the Election Commission of India for holding elections to Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly “as early as possible.” A delegation of Telugu Desam Members of Parliament will meet Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh during the ensuing Parliament session and submit a petition requesting the commission to conduct early polls.
Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party took the decision at a meeting held here on the eve of the winter session of Parliament. The TDPP meeting, presided by party president and caretaker Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, adopted a resolution to send a delegation of party MPs to petition the CEC.
The TDPP decision reverses the earlier stand of the party’s politburo not to approach the Election Commission and to abide by dates fixed by it for the polls.
Briefing newsmen, TDPP leader K. Yerran Naidu said “we will request the Election Commission to hold the elections as early as possible. It is the prerogative of the Election Commission to decide on the poll dates but we have to explain the ground realities. Before March 30, the state budget (for next year) has to be passed by the assembly. We will also explain the exam schedule (commencing from mid-March).”
“By doing this (representing to EC for early polls), we are not doing anything wrong. We cannot dictate to EC and we cannot suggest dates. But we want to make request for early conduct of polls,” he added.
Yerran Naidu said that the party also decided to request the central government for sending additional central forces to the state ahead of the elections to ensure peaceful polling. “The TDPP delegation will also call on the prime minister and the deputy prime minister and seek deployment of additional central forces in the sensitive areas of the state, much before the elections, so as to have peaceful polls,” he pointed out.
