PoliticsAndhra Pradesh
Jagan accuses Naidu of stopping YSRCP candidates from filing papers in civic polls
The former chief minister alleged police firing at Pulivendula, snatched nomination papers and blocked MPs as the deadline for Andhra Pradesh's urban local body polls closed.
Key points
- Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is mocking democracy in the urban local body polls.
- He alleged police firing in the air at Pulivendula and stone-pelting as candidates came to file papers.
- He said polls are going ahead on an unrevised voter list despite the SIR flagging 46 lakh fake voters.
YSR Congress Party chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of trying to keep the opposition out of Andhra Pradesh’s urban local body elections, alleging that his candidates were attacked, fired upon and stopped from filing their papers.
“Police firing at candidates who came to file their papers is unprecedented,” the former chief minister told reporters. He said Naidu “still lacks confidence in the mandate and is mocking democracy”.
What Jagan alleges
According to Jagan, YSRCP candidates were prevented from filing nominations on the final day in Kamalapuram, Rayachoti, Darsi, Gurazala, Dachepalli, Piduguralla, Badvel and Rajampet. He said nomination papers were snatched or not accepted, vehicles and party supporters were attacked, and police fired in the air at Pulivendula, his home constituency, where stones were also thrown.
He said YSRCP MPs were stopped in Kadapa, Punganuru and Tirupati. At nomination centres, he alleged, his workers were held to the four-person limit while Telugu Desam Party workers gathered in large numbers. He also spoke of false cases, kidnappings and arson.
“He has no intention to conduct a free and fair election, and the people’s mandate will expose his flop show,” Jagan said.
Rolls and wards
Jagan also questioned the ground rules. He said wards and divisions had been redrawn to suit the ruling coalition and the election schedule announced a day after reservations were declared. He said “the government has decided to go ahead with the polls with an unrevised voter list” even though the Special Intensive Revision had identified 46 lakh fake voters.
“Time will come; all those erring will have to face the consequences,” he said.
No response from the TDP-led government, the police or the State Election Commission to the allegations had been reported by Sunday afternoon.
The contest
Nominations opened amid reports of violence, and the TDP has been releasing its candidate lists, with women making up 18 of the 22 names in its second list on Saturday.