Amaravati, Nov 5 (PTI) YSRCP president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday accused the ruling TDP-led coalition of subverting the democratic process and manipulating local body elections at every stage, from filing of nominations to counting of votes.
Addressing a press conference at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, the YSRCP supremo claimed that the election process had been hijacked by the government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, with the Opposition facing obstruction, attacks on its candidates and alleged electoral irregularities.
“The TDP-led coalition government has undermined the democratic process by manipulating every stage of the local body elections, from the filing of nominations to the counting of votes,” said Jagan.
He said the ruling TDP coalition’s victory amounted to a moral defeat, while the opposition had won the hearts of the people despite what he described as a subverted mandate.
The opposition leader alleged that YSRCP candidates were prevented from filing nominations in several places, while some nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny, adding that he also accused ruling party supporters of attacking opposition polling agents, resorting to rigging and manipulating votes during the counting process.
Referring to incidents in Tekkali, Kotabommali, Darsi, Kanigiri, Palamaner and Vemula and Lingala mandals of the Pulivendula constituency, Jagan alleged that voters were prevented from exercising their franchise and that police personnel acted in favour of the ruling TDP.
He further claimed that YSRCP cadres and booth agents were attacked with “petrol bombs”, alleging that the NDA coalition government had failed to change its approach despite Supreme Court directives.
Playing video clips showing incidents allegedly occurred during municipal and local body elections, Jagan questioned the credibility of the polling figures announced during the municipal elections.
He alleged that votes were inflated at counting tables beyond the figures officially reported after polling.
He also criticised the NDA coalition government over its handling of public issues, alleging that Naidu had failed to fulfil promises made to women, farmers and youth.
He accused the government of handing over medical colleges and ports to private entities and said it had neglected ordinary people despite the damage caused by two cyclones in the state.
Jagan said that these elections have enough material to serve as a case study to draft electoral reforms. Contrasting his government’s tenure, which he described as a period of “Safe Andhra”, he said people were now calling for “Save Andhra” due to their alleged dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition.
Comparing Naidu’s use of the official machinery to Shakuni’s dice in the Mahabharata, Jagan said the YSRCP had fought back and exposed what he termed the coalition government’s “electoral misconduct”.
There was no immediate reaction from the TDP or the government. PTI MS ADB
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