"Will Still Run Like Usain Bolt": Chandrababu Naidu's Party Writes To KCR

Lok Sabha elections: All 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh will vote in the first phase.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Monday alleged that there was a conspiracy in covering all the Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh in the first phase.

Andhra Pradesh unit president Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao wrote an open letter to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao alleging that the latter used the BJP to influence the Election Commission to hold early elections in the state.

"You have forced the central government to conduct elections in advance. But we will still run like a racehorse like Usain Bolt in the coming elections," he said.

Mr Rao also accused the TRS chief of helping YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy with funds to fight the elections.

"You are spending Telangana peoples' money for Jagan Mohan Reddy. Jagan has been listening to you at every point from the selection of his party candidates to handing over B-forms. But, you can't change an iota of AP Politics. Is it not a fact that you are sending Rs. 2,000 crore to Jagan for elections who has no courage to face the TDP in Andhra Pradesh?" Mr Rao said in the letter.

He also dismissed allegations that the Andhra Pradesh government was involved in electoral data theft and had "subverted" all the government processes to gain undue advantage over its political rivals.

"IT secretary Vijayanand and RTGS CEO Ahmad Babu categorically expressed that the data is safe. Isn't your special interest going to protect your friend Jagan Mohan Reddy even after the government of Andhra Pradesh is ready for a forensic test if anybody has any doubts?" he stated

"Don't you know all the parties including national and regional have a system to secure membership details? Collecting data is a common thing. Can you deny that the motive of a Data Theft Case filed by your government is to make your friend Jagan Mohan Reddy happy and to damage the brand image of Chandrababu Naidu and Navyandhra?," he added.

The Election Commission on Sunday announced the schedule for Lok Sabha elections 2019. All 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana will go to polls in a single phase on April 11, which is also the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora announced.

The dates for the seven phases are April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting of votes will be done on May 23.