Andhra polls: TDP and YSRCP accuse each other of election misconduct

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu traded allegations over local body elections. Naidu accused the opposition of violence, while Rambabu alleged police and SEC bias, intimidation of candidates and irregularities during nominations

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday accused the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) of resorting to “criminal politics” and attempting to disrupt local body elections through violence.

The YSRCP, in turn, accused the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government of undermining democracy through alleged collusion between the police and the State Election Commission (SEC).

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Addressing a press conference at his camp office in Undavalli, Naidu claimed that the YSRCP had created disturbances in several places, including Punganur, Darsi, Kadapa, Thamballapalle and Tirupati.

“They (YSRCP) have tried to create hindrances in local body polls from day one. YSRCP is resorting to criminal politics,” Naidu said, alleging that a YSRCP MP had run over NDA cadres with his vehicle. He also claimed that liquor bottles and weapons were found in the MP’s car.

According to Naidu, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party had attacked people across the state and set vehicles on fire. He alleged that the YSRCP was willing to create unrest for electoral gains.

In Kanigiri, Naidu claimed, YSRCP activists barged into a nomination centre and seized nomination papers, while a Jana Sena Party office was targeted in Thamballapalle.

Stating that the TDP was adhering to the SEC’s regulations, Naidu urged people to discuss the alleged violence.

“Fake propaganda was being spread by the YSRCP, and party supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is using his own media outlet to tarnish the state’s image,” the chief minister alleged.

“They (YSRCP) were indulging in violence and also filing petitions in the courts. By approaching courts with fake litigation, they have become criminal litigants. They gave wrong information to the High Court and also the Supreme Court,” he added.

Naidu said the coalition partners—the TDP, BJP and Jana Sena—had issued a statement pledging to abide by the SEC’s directives in accordance with Supreme Court orders.

Citing figures from previous elections, Naidu said 24 per cent of local body seats were decided unanimously during the previous YSRCP government.

In contrast, he said the ongoing elections had attracted a substantial number of nominations, with 51,902 candidates filing nominations for 9,829 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and 5,724 candidates for 659 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs).

“He (Jagan) will come from Bengaluru to indulge in hit-and-run-style maligning attacks and return. I have never seen this kind of criminality in politics,” Naidu said.

The chief minister also alleged that Jagan was facing cases involving the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and alleged illegal assets.

Naidu further claimed that Jagan was creating hurdles for his niece’s wedding by denying permission for the ceremony to be held at a palace in Yelahanka, Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, senior YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu criticised the Andhra Pradesh government, accusing it of undermining democracy through alleged collusion among the ruling TDP, the police and the SEC.

Addressing a press conference at his camp office in Guntur, Rambabu alleged that the SEC was acting at Naidu’s behest and facilitating unanimous elections through violence and intimidation.

“Despite Supreme Court directions to protect candidates, YSRCP nominees were prevented from filing nominations, their papers torn in the presence of the police, and the media barred from nomination centres to conceal TDP atrocities,” the former minister claimed.

He alleged that police had placed opposition leaders under house arrest while allowing ruling-party candidates to file nominations.

Senior leaders Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, Bolla Brahma Naidu and Namburi Shankara Rao were confined to their homes, preventing them from distributing B-Forms and assisting candidates, he claimed.

“Police promised protection over the phone but remained mute spectators during attacks on candidates, including women,” Rambabu alleged.

He said the YSRCP had identified 54 police officials, including Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, for their alleged involvement in electoral irregularities.

Rambabu threatened legal action against them and condemned what he described as the misuse of the police machinery to serve the “political interests” of Naidu and Nara Lokesh.

Calling on voters to reject what he described as undemocratic practices, Rambabu urged them to vote for the YSRCP’s fan symbol and defeat the coalition’s “politics of intimidation”.