NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who demanded a re-poll in nearly 150 polling stations due to non-functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs), accused the election body of working on the instructions of the government. He has threatened a sit-in if there is no positive response from the election watchdog.

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"The Election Commission is an autonomous body. At the same time, they are working on instructions of (PM) Modi and the government of India," he told reporters after the meeting. "Election Commission is not cooperating with us," he said. Mr. Naidu was accompanied by lawmakers and senior leaders of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP). "This is a very big farce. Disaster for the nation. I can say it is a big confusion, big mess, big farce," Mr. Naidu said on Friday. He claimed that as per "official information" 4,583 EVMs got stuck in the state and said it was a "major crisis."

On the first phase of polling day, Mr. Naidu wrote to the Election Commission demanding re-polling. He had earlier claimed that even the voting machines at a polling booth where state Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi went to cast his vote were not functioning. Mr. Naidu also hit out at the Election Commission over the appointment of the state Chief Secretary, alleging that the latter was a "co-accused with Jagan (Reddy)" in the disproportionate assets case.

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