TDP spread fake results of gram panchayat elections through fake website: YSRCP leader

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], February 16 : Andhra Pradesh YSRCP leader Gadikota Srikanth Reddy on Tuesday accused Telugu Desam Party and its chief Chandrababu Naidu of spreading fake results of gram panchayat elections through a fake website.
"Chandrababu also has double standards on Vizag steel plant issue," he said.
While speaking to the reporters, Gadikota Srikanth Reddy said that YSRCP-backed candidates have won a massive number of seats in two phases of gram panchayat elections. TDP backed candidates didn't win even 15 per cent of the seats.
"But TDP people created a fake website faking our website and feeding wrong data on that site. That's why their party is a fake party. Whenever their party fails, Chandrababu Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh cry foul," he said.
"He blamed EVMs after failure in assembly elections. Now in this election, he is alleging that counting of ballots is done in darkness," he added.
Reddy said, "At the same time, the TDP people created a website akin to ours and faking the results. Chandrababu is acting as if he is now blaming State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar. In fact, those who voted for TDP in past are now backing YSRCP."
"All the people are now supporting YSRCP supported candidates in gram panchayat elections. Chandrababu is unable to digest it," Reddy said.
Now he is using media to publish news like TDP supported candidates able to file nominations as a big victory. That shows the level to which they have stooped.
The gram panchayat elections are being held in four phases across the state. The final phase of the elections will be held on February 21.
On Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL) issue, Reddy said that attempts to privatise that plant were started in 2014. But Chandrababu remained silent though he was the Chief Minister then and TDP was part of NDA.
"There is no role for the state government in trying to privatize the steel plant. Yet Naidu is blaming the state government. Naidu had met POSCO for three times in 2017. At that time, attempts to privatize the steel plant took place many times. Why is Babu not speaking on that matter?" Reddy said while slamming Naidu.
"TDP ex-MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao was on hunger strike for Visakhapatnam steel plant. He has recently suffered from COVID-19 and is still recovering. He is very weak. That's why his hunger strike was broken and he is taken to hospital. But TDP is politicising that also," Reddy said.
"Why Chandrababu Naidu did not ask his son Nara Lokesh to go on hunger strike? Our party is against the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam steel plant. Our Chief Minister has already written a letter to Prime Minister. We will do anything in our capacity to stop the privatisation of the steel plant," Reddy said.
In October 2020, a decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had given in-principle approval for 100 per cent strategic disinvestment of the Vizag steel plant.