Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday urged NDA cadres to work together for the upcoming local body elections. He warned against rebel candidates and asked workers to ensure the victory of official nominees. Naidu said, "There is no scope for rebels or independents to contest against alliance candidates."
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday urged Telugu Desam, Jana Sena and BJP cadres to work in coordination in the upcoming local body elections, warning against rebel candidates and calling for the victory of officially nominated NDA nominees.
Acknowledging that differences were inevitable in a three-party alliance, he urged cadres to set aside minor disputes in the larger interests of the State.
The seat-sharing arrangements had been finalised by the alliance leadership and must be respected, he said, adding that those denied tickets would be accommodated through nominated posts and chairperson positions.
"There is no scope for rebels or independents to contest against alliance candidates.
It goes against the spirit of the alliance," Naidu said, asking party workers to ensure the victory of NDA-approved candidates.
He alleged that the YSR Congress had filed 62 petitions, including one in the Supreme Court, to obstruct the local body elections, but the apex court had not agreed to postpone them.
Citing the government's performance, Naidu referred to DSC recruitment, distribution of house-site pattas, issuance of land title passbooks to farmers and efforts to build pothole-free roads.
He accused the previous government of neglecting development while focusing on distributing benefits.
Naidu called on the alliance to win all municipal corporations, municipalities, mandal parishad territorial constituencies (MPTCs) and zilla parishads, and improve on its 2024 vote share under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Referring to Cyclone Arnab, he said he had briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the situation in the State.
Despite reviewing the cyclone situation over the past two days, he had also devoted time to party affairs, he added.
Targeting the YSRC leadership, Naidu accused it of conspiring against the government and focusing on personal assets.
He urged NDA cadres to highlight what he described as the party's excesses and misdeeds, claiming its vote bank was shrinking.
With little time left for campaigning, Naidu asked alliance leaders and cadres to remain active throughout the week and work towards establishing a "triple-engine government", with the NDA in power at the Centre, in the State and at the local level.