Booth Capturing & Chaos: Jagan Demands Repolling in Pulivendula
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy alleges booth capturing and voter intimidation in Pulivendula, demanding repolling in the municipal elections.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has sparked a political storm by demanding repolling in Pulivendula. Following the municipal elections, Jagan leveled serious allegations of large-scale electoral irregularities, claiming that the democratic process was systematically undermined through booth capturing and the intimidation of voters.
Allegations of Electoral Malpractice
Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of orchestrating widespread malpractice to tilt the scales in their favor. In a shocking claim, he stated that YSRCP polling agents were forcibly evicted from nearly 70 out of the 80 polling booths in Pulivendula. He noted that he was personally escorting the affected agents to the Returning Officer (RO) to demand an explanation as to how polling could legally proceed without opposition representatives present.
According to the YSRCP president, the atmosphere at the booths was one of fear and coercion:
- Booth Occupation: TDP workers allegedly occupied polling stations as early as 4 am to intimidate voters.
- Violence: Jagan claimed that party chairperson candidate Pramilamma was attacked, and a polling agent named Sunanda suffered a fractured hand.
- Voter Suppression: He alleged that women were threatened, voter slips were snatched away, and genuine voters were blocked from entering the stations.
- Bogus Voting: The former CM claimed that fake votes were cast even before the actual voters arrived at the booths.
Police Complicity and Administrative Failure
A significant portion of Jagan's grievance centers on the role of the state machinery. He alleged that police personnel did not remain neutral but instead actively supported the ruling party. He claimed that officers obstructed YSRCP agents, conducted lathi-charges in several areas, and even forcibly took a YSRCP councillor candidate into a police jeep.
Jagan questioned the utility of the nearly 1,000 police personnel deployed in Pulivendula, asserting they were used to aid TDP workers rather than ensure a fair election. He further highlighted a breach of Supreme Court directions, questioning why live CCTV footage was not available and how surveillance was implemented at the polling stations.
"I contacted the Superintendent of Police and the District Collector regarding these irregularities, but no action has been taken," Jagan stated, expressing frustration over the district administration's silence.
A Pattern of Irregularities
The YSRCP leader claimed that the chaos was not limited to Pulivendula. He reported similar incidents of malpractice in several other regions, including:
- Kadapa and Jammalamadugu
- Chittoor and Madanapalle
- Macherla and Chilakaluripet
- Tadipatri and Chimakurthy
Jagan also shared a personal ordeal, claiming that permission for his helicopter to land in Pulivendula was abruptly cancelled while he was flying from Bengaluru, despite having received approval the previous day. He stated that he had to intervene with Civil Aviation authorities before landing was eventually permitted after a three-hour delay.
Attack on TDP's Governance
Beyond the election day turmoil, Jagan used the platform to criticize Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's administration. He alleged that the government has failed to deliver on its "Super Six" and "Super Seven" promises. Specifically, he pointed out:
- Students: Delays in fee reimbursements and payments under Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena.
- Women: The discontinuation of zero-interest loan benefits.
- Farmers: A lack of remunerative prices and promised support.
- Employees: General dissatisfaction over unfulfilled government assurances.
Warning that such electoral practices set an "unhealthy political precedent" that could lead to increased tensions between party workers, Jagan has appealed to the national leadership of the NDA—of which the TDP is a part—to intervene and respond to these allegations.