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Despite Telangana Loss, Chandrababu Naidu Hopeful: People With Us In Fight Against BJP

Chandrababu Naidu said TDP respected the mandate of Telangana people and congratulated TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on his party’s victory.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu
Free Press Journal
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu

TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the results of the five state assembly elections will help form a strong alternative to the BJP.

"People recognise that BJP has done nothing in the last 5 years and moving towards alternative. People are with us in our fight against BJP. These five state results will help form a strong alternative to the BJP," Naidu was quoted by ANI as saying at a press conference.

Naidu said the TDP respected the mandate of people of Telangana and congratulated TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on his party's victory.

The TRS looked set to form its second successive government in Telangana with a thumping majority after taking an unassailable lead in 87 seats, according to the latest vote count, a ringing endorsement of party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's populist policies.

The TDP has a pre-poll opposition alliance with the Congress, the Telangana Jana Samiti and the CPI.

Meanwhile, the Congress said it suspected "manipulation" of the Electronic Voting Machines, and demanded that all votes be counted using the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) to ascertain the exact number of votes polled by each candidate.

"Going by the distorted trends, there is a strong suspicion that EVM machines have been manipulated. We demand that 100 percent counting of VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) must be taken up in all constituencies," a communication from the Congress quoted state party president N Uttam Kumar Reddy as saying.

CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy alleged: "Huge distribution of money, particulary on the last day (before the election)...purchasing the votes..this must have resulted in this victory for TRS."

Claiming that the elections were not free and fair, Reddy said it was not a moral but only "technical" victory for the TRS.

KCR had dissolved the Telangana assembly in September, eight months ahead of schedule.

In the 119-member Telangana assembly, TRS had 63 seats earlier while Congress and TDP had 21 and 15 respectively.

(With PTI inputs)

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