Amaravati, Nov 2026 : Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday accused the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) of favouring the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and failing to ensure free and fair municipal elections.
In a social media post, Jagan alleged that the SEC, which is responsible for safeguarding the democratic process, had become “subservient” to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. He said incidents during Sunday’s municipal polling, particularly in Pulivendula, indicated that election irregularities were being allowed to take place.
Jagan alleged that YSRCP agents were prevented from entering 70 of the 80 polling booths in Pulivendula. He claimed that TDP workers brought in from other areas, with the alleged support of election officials and police, attacked party agents and obstructed their entry into polling stations.
“In some places, they dragged our agents out of the polling stations. These incidents took place with the police’s support,” he said, further alleging that voter slips were snatched, booths captured and votes cast repeatedly through rigging.
Jagan said video evidence of the alleged incidents was available and that agents from the affected booths had personally approached him, submitted their agent forms to officials and lodged complaints.
Questioning the SEC’s decision to order repolling in only four booths in Pulivendula, the former chief minister said the action was inadequate given the scale of the alleged irregularities.
“Irregularities took place in 70 of the 80 booths, and our agents were attacked and forced out. In these circumstances, how was it fair for the SEC to order repolling in only four booths and then wash its hands of the matter?” he asked.
He described the repolling decision as an “eyewash” and questioned whether the elections could be considered free and fair. Jagan also said the alleged failure of the election authority to act against wrongdoing would undermine public confidence in the electoral system and voters’ rights.
The YSRCP president alleged that irregularities were not confined to Pulivendula but had also occurred across the state. He cited municipal corporations including Kadapa, Anantapur, Tirupati, Kurnool, Chittoor, Ongole, Guntur, Nellore, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
He also named several municipalities where similar incidents allegedly took place, including Macherla, Chilakaluripet, Vinukonda, Jammalamadugu, Nandyal, Chimakurthy, Giddalur, Emmiganur, Sullurpeta, Palasa, Dhone, Naidupeta, Nandigama, Jaggayyapeta, Kuppam, Puttur and Parvathipuram.
Jagan said his party would challenge the alleged irregularities in court and submit evidence in support of its claims.
“We will fight these election irregularities in court to protect democracy. We will place every piece of evidence before the courts. Justice may take time, but truth and justice will ultimately prevail,” he said.
