Hyderabad: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said the TDP campaign of large-scale irregularities in the preparation of electoral rolls amounted to `much ado about nothing'.

Supporting his contention with statistical proof at a press conference on Sunday, Dr. Reddy pointed out that net addition to the electoral rolls was only 22,931.

While 97,177 petitions were received by the authorities for inclusion, 52,209 had been included between February 13 this year and June 10. Likewise, 29, 278 names had been deleted during the period on account of double entry of electoral names, migration and death, he said.

Net increase

Advising the TDP leadership not to stoop to low in public life, he said the net increase of voters in the rolls after a special summary revision was just 2.60 per cent. He said total number of electors on January 1, 2004 stood at 5,10,30,033 and it was 5,22,52,411 the next year. On January 1 this year, it was 5,36,09,477 contrary to the claims of the main Opposition. Thus the annual increase was only 2.60 per cent this year.

Call to parties

The TDP was trying to discredit the ruling party by raising the bogey of irregularities as it was facing the spectre of defeat, he said.

There was no need to take TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu seriously as he lacked credibility and the media could verify facts, he said.

Asking people and political parties to be vigilant against irregularities, he said no eligible voter would be left out.

Lapses could always be brought to the notice of the authorities concerned for rectification. Dr. Reddy said there was no question of withdrawing free power supply to farmers after the elections as alleged by the CPI (M) nor was there any move to scrap supply of rice through the Public Distribution System.

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