Jagan alleges irregularities in Andhra municipal polls, calls for electoral reforms
Jagan Alleges Andhra Municipal Poll Irregularities, Demands Electoral Reforms
Amaravati: YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday alleged large-scale irregularities in the municipal elections, claiming that the opposition was denied a fair opportunity to contest.
Reacting to counting trends indicating a near clean sweep for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in elections to 100 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Jagan criticised Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the police and the State Election Commission (SEC).
In a post on X, he alleged that the electoral process had been manipulated at every stage, from nominations and scrutiny to withdrawals, polling and counting. He also claimed that polling agents were obstructed or forced out and accused the authorities of manipulating polling percentages.
“These are no longer elections but selections! The need for electoral reforms has never been more obvious,” Jagan said, alleging that Naidu had selected the candidates rather than allowing voters to elect them.
Meanwhile, YSRCP SC Cell State President TJR Sudhakar Babu described November 3 as a “black day” in Andhra Pradesh’s political history and accused the ruling coalition of using police power and intimidation to influence the municipal electoral process.
Addressing a press conference at the YSRCP Central Office, he alleged that opposition candidates were prevented from filing nominations, eligible nominations were rejected and withdrawal signatures were forged. He also accused ruling-party workers of threatening voters, removing polling agents and tearing up victory declaration forms.
Sudhakar Babu further alleged that police personnel and election officials had acted in favour of the ruling coalition despite repeated complaints to the SEC. He also accused the government of allowing factional violence to resurface in Rayalaseema, Prakasam, Guntur and Palnadu.
The YSRCP leaders’ allegations come amid counting trends favouring the ruling NDA. The claims of electoral malpractice were not independently established in the material provided.
