With the matter of his reinstatement still pending in the Supreme Court of India, the Andhra Pradesh government has released a video of the State Election Commissioner (SEC) N Ramesh Kumar. The video claims to be that of a ‘secret meeting’ at a five-star hotel in Hyderabad earlier this month.

The video released by YSRCP shows BJP Rajya Sabha MP YS Chowdary who is a former TDP leader, along with former Andhra Pradesh health minister Dr Kamineni Srinivas meeting SEC N Ramesh Kumar at a five-star hotel in Hyderabad on June 13. “At a time when a case on his appointment is subjudice in the SC, doing this is bizarre and shows how brazenly he is being motivated,” the YSRCP alleged.

In a statement, the YSRCP claimed, “Though he (N Ramesh Kumar) has to stay neutral going by his position and away from active politics, he was seen close to political leaders. A person holding a constitutional position, meeting political leaders in a hotel room, apart from his office is raising objections from many leaders.”

Going even further, the YSRCP has accused N Ramesh Kumar of maintaining links with various TDP leaders and have even linked an alleged land scam in Visakhapatnam to the SEC.

The YSRCP government led by Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has challenged Kumar’s reinstatement by the High Court. N Ramesh Kumar had been removed by the Andhra Pradesh government over his decision to postpone local body elections owing to the pandemic. Justice (Retd) V Kangaraj was appointed in Kumar’s place as the Andhra Pradesh SEC.

In April, the YSRCP had accused N Ramesh Kumar of engaging in a nexus with opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The matter, however, was challenged in the High Court by BJP leader Dr Kamineni Srinivas and others. A bench of the HC then struck down the ordinance brought about by the YSRCP government and reinstated N Ramesh Kumar as the SEC. This prompted the YS Jaganmohan Reddy administration to challenge the HC’s order in the apex court.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP YS Chowdary has rubbished allegations levelled against him by claiming that he meets many people owing to his position as a Member of Parliament. “It is an unnecessary controversy created by the YSRCP. It is also a breach of privacy and trust which the hotel staff should answer,” Chowdary said. The MP added that he will seek legal opinion and file cases of defamation against those making false allegations against him by spreading the video.