A day after polling in the Pulivendula ZPTC by-election, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy appeared before the media sounding prepared for defeat. He alleged rigging, police bias toward the ruling TDP, intimidation of YSRCP agents, and Election Commission favoritism.
When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s “Votes Chori” movement, Jagan claimed there was a “hotline” between Chandrababu Naidu, Revanth Reddy, and Rahul Gandhi. He accused the Congress leader of staying silent on alleged voter fraud in Andhra Pradesh.
The question remains — why should Rahul Gandhi support Jagan? The YSRCP chief broke away from Congress in 2012, dealing a fatal blow to the party in Andhra Pradesh. Since then, Jagan’s party has maintained a tacit understanding with the BJP.
From 2014 to now, Congress has remained in opposition for 11 years without once receiving Jagan’s backing, even during his tenure as CM from 2019–2024. Not even Rahul Gandhi’s national-level “Vote Chori” campaign drew public support from YSRCP.
Now, when facing political trouble, Jagan seeks Congress’s help. Yet, his allegations about EVM tampering and Pulivendula poll irregularities have no substantial proof — the party hasn’t even filed a Supreme Court petition on the matter.
If Jagan truly wants Rahul Gandhi’s backing, political analysts suggest he must first align with the INDI Alliance. Without that, his expectations may be little more than wishful thinking.
