YSR Congress Party Claims Violence Cannot Exclude Them from Local Elections

Tadipatri, October 20 (Daily Kiran) : Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, the state coordinator for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), stated on Tuesday that the party cannot be driven out of local body elections through violence, intimidation, or criminal acts. Speaking at the party’s central office, he called for a high court judge to investigate recent police firing incidents in Pulivendula.

Reddy alleged that during the nomination process for local elections, police officers fired without provocation as opposition candidates attempted to file their papers. He accused the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government of obstructing nominations, coercing candidates to withdraw, and ultimately aiming for a “uncontested victory.”

He criticized Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his media for framing these actions as “public support,” while placing the blame for violence on the YSRCP. Reddy claimed that police have gone beyond targeting TDP workers, directly attacking candidates and disrupting their efforts.

He highlighted an incident in the Mangalagiri constituency, where the “Preventive Detention Act” was used against senior Dalit leader Rajayah to prevent his participation in upcoming elections. Delays in issuing caste and “no-dues” certificates were reported, along with threats to candidates even after their nominations were submitted. In Tirupati, candidate J.B. Srinivas was threatened at home by the husband of a Janasena candidate.

Reddy reported that in Kadapa, police stopped approximately 40-50 potential candidates, while 10-12 nominations were rejected. On Monday night, an attack occurred at the home of a mayoral candidate to force them to withdraw their nomination, and a murder attempt case was filed against Deputy Mayor Nityanand Reddy.

He mentioned that two murder attempt cases have been registered against candidate Raghava Reddy and others in Pulivendula. Furthermore, 921 grassroots leaders have faced similar charges aimed at excluding them from local, MPTC, and ZPTC elections.

Reddy dismissed these incidents as mere skirmishes requiring police intervention. He asserted that police actively obstructed the nomination process, attacked candidates, and fired shots into the air while protecting TDP groups. He called for a judicial inquiry into these orchestrated intimidation tactics and urged the state election commission to intervene immediately.