Andhra govt is under-reporting Covid deaths: TDP

Telugu Desam Party national general secretary and Andhra Pradesh opposition leader Nara Lokesh on Monday alleged that the state government is hiding the actual number of Covid deaths to deny paying compensation.

"We have been saying this from the beginning - the YSRCP government is shamelessly covering up deaths to deny compensation in the future. The latest figures have shocked us," alleged Lokesh, citing a media report.

According to the data shared by the TDP's second in command, more than 1 lakh deaths occurred in May but only 2,938 were categorized as Covid deaths.

From the beginning of the pandemic until Sunday, the AP government officially reported that 11,940 people have succumbed to the virus.

Meanwhile, Lokesh wrote to Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, requesting his immediate intervention in the 'opaque and highly questionable practices of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC)', pertaining to the Group I selections.

"The conduct of the Constitutional body (APPSC), some of whose members were appointed by your office in the past two years, has led to aspirants of Group I examination to approach the High Court," he wrote.

Lokesh demanded a thorough enquiry by a sitting judge to 'restore trust and legitimacy' on APPSC.