YS Jagan Mohan Reddy left Pulivendula without voting after alleging large-scale irregularities during the municipal elections. He said he would return to vote only if authorities ordered a re-poll.
Jagan accused the election authorities of preventing YSRCP polling agents from entering several booths. He claimed that agents were being deliberately kept out so that rigging could take place without any checks. He also alleged that voters were being threatened.
After leaving his camp office, Jagan went to the Returning Officer’s office and submitted a complaint to RO Chinnaiah. He sought repolling in Pulivendula and explained his allegations of attacks on party workers and bogus voting.
Jagan later sat in protest outside the RO office along with around 70 YSRCP agents. He alleged that they were not being allowed inside the polling stations or even into the RO office to raise their complaints.
Speaking about the incidents, Jagan said his party would not encourage retaliation or counterattacks. He also criticised Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, questioning whether the government had the ability to conduct elections peacefully. He said the situation had once again shown the need for electoral reforms and questioned the role of the present State Election Commission.
The protest added to the tension in Pulivendula, which had already witnessed clashes and complaints over polling agents. Jagan’s decision to leave without voting has now brought the focus back to the allegations of irregularities and the demand for repolling.
The election authorities will have to examine the complaints and decide whether the allegations warrant further action.
