Andhra Pradesh CM accuses opposition of using courts to obstruct local body elections

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday accused the opposition YSR Congress Party of resorting to court interventions to obstruct the conduct of local body elections in the state. Speaking to villagers during a distribution programme of NTR Bharosa pensions in West Godavari district, Naidu asserted that recent opinion surveys demonstrated a clear popular mandate in favour of the NDA government.

The Chief Minister defended the decision to conduct unanimous elections, where candidates run unopposed, stating this reflected the will of the people. He dismissed ongoing legal challenges, including petitions relating to a 34 per cent backward class reservation case and a separate review petition, as deliberate attempts to postpone the electoral process.

Naidu's comments come as various legal disputes continue to cloud the conduct of municipal and panchayat elections across Andhra Pradesh. The CM's remarks underline the government's determination to proceed with local body polls despite legal hurdles and opposition resistance. The NTR Bharosa pension scheme, a flagship welfare initiative, has been consistently used as a platform by the Chief Minister to address public concerns and consolidate political support at the grassroots level.