The upcoming bypolls in Pulivendula and Vontimitta ZPTC have sparked political tensions in Andhra Pradesh, with the ruling TDP keen to wrest the area considered the citadel of YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Pulivendula is not only Reddy’s Assembly constituency but also his family bastion, and the TDP’s attempt to win the seat has evoked strong reactions from the YSRCP supremo, who accused the ruling party of resorting to unfair means and trying to rig the poll. Though a minor bypoll, the stakes are high for both parties — the YSRCP, fighting for existence, and the TDP, which is buoyed by the seven seats it won in Kadapa district in the Assembly elections.
YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday slammed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of using the police and election officials to defeat the Opposition party. In a post on ‘X’, Reddy alleged, “In the Pulivendula and Vontimitta ZPTC by-elections, he (Naidu) is undermining democracy through shameless politics, misusing his authority to prevent free and fair polls. Together with certain officials, TDP’s anarchic gangs and police officers who support them, he is conspiring to hijack the election.”
Reddy also accused election officials of deliberately shifting polling booths away from the villages to far-off locations, forcing the voters to travel 2-4 km to cast their vote on polling day, which is 12 August. Reddy alleged this would create ample scope for booth capturing and rigging by the ruling party cadres. He also alleged that hundreds of YSRCP leaders and supporters were being intimidated by the TDP cadres. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused TDP workers of physically attacking his party leaders and said police, instead of arresting the culprits, filed false charges of SC/ST atrocities against the YSRCP activists.
Sunday was the last day of the campaign before the polls, and TDP even ran an innovative campaign in Pulivendula with drums and its workers in prisoners’ costumes as they referred to the murder of Reddy’s uncle, YS Vivekanand Reddy.