Amaravati, Oct 31: YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused the Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government of undermining democracy through alleged irregularities in the ongoing local body election process.
In a post on X, Jagan alleged that the ruling coalition had weakened the electoral process even before polling began by preventing opposition candidates from contesting freely. He said the alleged actions posed a serious threat to democratic principles and questioned the fairness of the elections.
Jagan highlighted four major categories of alleged irregularities, covering the nomination, scrutiny and withdrawal stages.
1. Opposition Candidates Allegedly Blocked During Nominations
Jagan alleged that several key YSRCP leaders were placed under house arrest or subjected to preventive binding-over actions to stop them from supporting party candidates during the nomination process.
At the same time, he claimed that TDP supporters were allowed to gather in large numbers near nomination centres, while restrictions were imposed on YSRCP candidates.
He further alleged that opposition candidates were attacked, their nomination papers were torn up, and even women candidates were targeted. According to Jagan, some of these incidents took place in the presence of police personnel and returning officers.
2. Fake Nominations Filed in the Name of YSRCP
Jagan also accused TDP supporters of filing fake nominations in the name of YSRCP while the party’s officially nominated candidates were allegedly prevented from entering the electoral contest.
He claimed that nomination papers were accepted without properly verifying Form A and Form B, which establish a candidate’s official party authorisation.
According to him, this created a false impression that opposition candidates were being given equal opportunities to contest.
3. YSRCP Nominations Rejected During Scrutiny
The former Chief Minister alleged that YSRCP candidates who managed to file their nominations despite several obstacles were later threatened and pressured to withdraw from the contest.
He claimed that candidates who refused to withdraw had their nominations rejected during scrutiny on minor technical grounds.
Jagan further alleged that supporting documents submitted by candidates were removed or tampered with, creating grounds for rejecting their nomination papers over claims of missing certificates.
4. Nomination Withdrawals Through Forged Signatures
Jagan raised another serious allegation concerning the withdrawal of nominations.
He claimed that in some places, candidates’ signatures were forged and their nominations were shown as withdrawn without their knowledge or consent.
He questioned how officials could accept withdrawal applications without verifying whether the candidates had personally authorised them.
According to Jagan, such actions directly deprived candidates of their democratic right to contest elections.
Jagan Demands Independent Investigation
Reacting to the alleged irregularities, Jagan demanded an independent investigation into every complaint related to the election process.
He called for the preservation and detailed examination of nomination papers, scrutiny records, withdrawal applications and CCTV footage from election centres.
He also demanded strict action against officials found responsible for election-related violations. Further, he sought an opportunity for candidates who were allegedly unfairly removed from the contest to regain their right to participate in the elections.
Why Is the Ruling Coalition Afraid of YSRCP Candidates, Jagan Asks
Questioning the ruling coalition, Jagan asked why Chandrababu Naidu’s government was allegedly preventing YSRCP candidates from contesting if it was confident of enjoying public support.
He questioned why voters were being denied the freedom to choose their preferred candidates through a fair electoral process.
With local body polling scheduled to begin on November 1, Jagan called for independent monitoring to ensure that candidates can participate freely, polling agents can perform their duties without interference, and voters can exercise their franchise without fear.
He also expressed concern over the possibility of further irregularities during polling, vote counting and the declaration of results, given the allegations surrounding the nomination process.
Jagan stressed that ensuring a free and fair election requires transparency and accountability at every stage of the electoral process.
