Cong worried about impending debacle: TDP

Visakhapatnam, Apr 22 (UNI) The Telugu Desam Party was blaming the city police for the Election Commission countermanding the February 19 Visakha-I Assembly by-elections as it was worried about an ''impending debacle,'' TDP Parliamentary Party Leader K Yerran Naidu said today.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Naidu said the Congress Government, which failed on all fronts, could not hold election even in ''this smallest constituency.'' ''They are in for a bitter shock as the party will face a humiliating defeat in the elections to be held on April 24. This is mainly because the government ignored the development of the segment,'' he alleged.

The polling held on February was countermanded by the EC following complaints of large-scale malpractices allegedly committed by both the Congress and the TDP.

He said Congress had been drubbed in two by-elections for Asifnagar and Penukonda after it came to power in 2004. It will meet the same fate in the Vizag-I by-elections.

Commenting on Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's recent announcement about the transfer of 19 powers to the local bodies, he said it was done keeping in view the Panchayat elections in the state.

''In fact, the erstwhile TD Government passed the order to this effect, but the Congress is dishonestly claiming credit for it,'' he added.

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