The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : TDP to challenge Bobbili loss

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

TDP to challenge Bobbili loss

Special Correspondent

Naidu charges YSR, Minister with influencing Returning Officer

COUNTING, ANYONE?: TDP leaders staging a protest sit-in in Hyderabad on Thursday demanding recounting in Bobbili. - PHOTO: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The TDP blamed manipulation in counting by the Congress for the party's narrow loss in Bobbili and made it clear that it would challenge the result in the court.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, party president N. Chandrababu Naidu said it was unfortunate that the Election Commission had turned down its appeal for recounting of votes on the technical ground that the results had been declared. "This despite the fact that we have taken up the issue with Chief Electoral Officer here and the Election Commission in Delhi much before the results," he observed.

He criticised Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's `sarcastic comment' that there would be no recounting in elections where EVMs were used.

He went on to charge him and a Minister with influencing the Returning Officer not to take into cognisance the objections raised by the TDP and declare the result.

Three different figures were given as the margin of victory — 1,140, 3,056 and then to 157.

"How did this happen in a few minutes?" he asked. The TDP had an unassailable lead in five segments and at one point, it was supposed to win by over 4,000 votes.

Replying to a question, Mr. Naidu said he was not unhappy as the party could come so close to the Congress despite the latter misusing power.

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