GP polls marred by irregularities, large scale misuse of power: Jagadish Reddy

Senior BRS leader G Jagadish Reddy alleged widespread irregularities and misuse of power in the ongoing gram panchayat elections. He accused officials, police and Congress workers of intimidation and manipulation, while asserting strong grassroots support for the BRS

Nalgonda: Alleging widespread irregularities and misuse of power in the ongoing gram panchayat elections, senior BRS leader and former Minister G Jagadish Reddy said government officials, police and Congress workers were colluding to intimidate BRS candidates and manipulate results.

Addressing a news conference at the BRS office here, he said the local body elections undertaken by the State government had turned into an unfortunate exercise. BRS candidates filing nominations were being threatened and subjected to arm-twisting tactics. He accused the Congress of promoting murder politics and said there was no scope for political clashes during the BRS regime.

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Reddy highlighted issues in Suryapet district, where he said police were functioning like Congress workers across four Assembly constituencies. He alleged that personal assistants of two district ministers were issuing daily orders to police, leading to illegal cases being filed against BRS activists. Even Home Guards were disregarding the District Superintendent of Police, he said. Reddy pointed to Chinna Kaparthi village in Chityal mandal, where ballot papers marked in favour of BRS candidates were reportedly found in drainage canals.

He demanded that the State Election Commission take legal action in the matter. Reddy also said that in places where BRS candidates won, results were being tampered with on the pretext of recounting due to pressure from Congress leaders. Despite these challenges, he expressed confidence in the BRS’s grassroots strength, stating that around 45 percent of sarpanch posts in the first phase went to BRS-backed candidates.

“BRS has a strong hold at the village level. Our workers are fighting valiantly and we will achieve good results in the upcoming elections,” he said, predicting better performance in the second and third phases. Praising the previous BRS government’s welfare schemes, which he said attracted global attention, Reddy criticised the Congress for failing to implement its promises and for neglecting farmers’ insurance and welfare.