ECI notifies Chandrababu Naidu for making “derogatory” comments on Andhra Chief Minister Jagan

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N Chandrababu Naidu has received a notice from the Election Commission about alleged disparaging statements he made against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The TDP chairman was served with a notice on Thursday for reportedly calling chairman Minister Jagan “Monster,” “Animal,” “Thief,” and other derogatory phrases during his campaign rallies on March 31, in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Naidu has been given 48 hours to respond to the notice that the Chief Electoral Officer of Andhra Pradesh issued, explaining that he made disparaging statements against Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the head of the YSR Congress Party.

Lella Appi Reddy, the State General Secretary of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), and another person submitted a complaint, which resulted to the issuance of the notice.

The notice claims that TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu insulted Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy with various derogatory terms, calling him a “monster,” “animal,” and “thief” at his campaign rallies in the constituencies of Yemmiganur, Markapuram, and Bapatla.

After examining the speeches in issue, which were attached to a pen drive, the Election Commission has concluded that they seem to be in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

Andhra Pradesh’s Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are slated for May 13, with vote tallying taking place on June 4.

Interestingly, a party would need to secure at least 88 seats in the 175-seat Andhra Pradesh Assembly in order to establish a government.

The TDP, headed by Chandrababu Naidu, gained 102 seats to take the majority in the 2014 Assembly elections. The YSRCP under Jagan Mohan Reddy won 67 seats. By running against the two dominant parties in the area, the BJP was only able to get four seats.

The YSRCP gained a landslide majority of 151 seats in the 2019 Assembly elections, while the TDP was limited to 23 seats.

Beginning on April 19, the nation’s 543 Lok Sabha seats will be up for election in seven stages. On June 4, there will be both the assembly and the Lok Sabha vote counting.