‘Organised Crime in Broad Daylight’: YS Jagan Exposes Chandrababu Naidu’s Despotic Playbook to Sabotage AP Local Polls

Tadepalli: In a scathing indictment of the ruling coalition in Andhra Pradesh, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy presented a dossier of brazen electoral violence, alleging that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has instituted "organised crime" to subvert the ongoing local body elections.

Addressing the media in Tadepalli on Friday, YS Jagan stated that high-handedness, deceit, and physical intimidation have become the defining hallmarks of Naidu’s governance, with the ruling dispensation showing complete contempt even for explicit directives issued by the Supreme Court of India.

"Under Chandrababu Naidu, the state has witnessed a horrifying descent—from rigging polling booths to pre-emptively rigging nomination centers," YS Jagan remarked. He noted that prospective YSRCP candidates were subjected to arbitrary police bind-overs, unlawful detentions, and house arrests even before they could set foot outside their homes.

He pointed out that returning offices were effectively seized by armed TDP mobs operating with absolute impunity. "Nominations were snatched and shredded directly in front of election officials. Shockingly, instead of arresting the perpetrators, returning officers expelled the bloodied and victimised YSRCP candidates from the centers and registered false criminal cases against them," he said, questioning how free and fair polls could be conducted without sidelining compromised police personnel.

The former Chief Minister expressed profound anguish over the targeted violence meted out to women contenders across several constituencies.

"Is Chandrababu even human? Women candidates who arrived to exercise their constitutional right were assaulted in the open. Their hair was pulled, their sarees were torn, and they were physically dragged away by TDP goons," Jagan lamented, citing a gut-wrenching incident in Anupalli where a woman candidate was driven to fall at the feet of a police Circle Inspector, begging for protection.

He also exposed documented fraud during the scrutiny phase, pointing out that in the 51st Ward of Nandyal, YSRCP candidate Nagamani’s signature was brazenly forged to falsely register her nomination withdrawal in her absence.

Presenting specific instances of state-sponsored violence across districts, YS Jagan highlighted:

Gorantla (Sri Sathya Sai Dist): Henchmen of Cabinet Minister Savitha stormed the returning officer's chamber and forcibly ripped nomination papers straight from the hands of election officials.

Chittoor: TDP cadre ambushed and severely damaged the convoy of former Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayanaswamy.

Dharmavaram: A woman belonging to the Boya-Valmiki community was violently assaulted, while YSRCP nominee Narendra Choudhary was thrashed inside the premises in the direct presence of the Returning Officer.

Railway Koduru: A female party worker was brutally attacked by followers of the local coalition MLA.

Kadapa: Sitting Member of Parliament YS Avinash Reddy was arbitrarily detained by the police, with Jagan noting that "the administration treated an elected MP like a dreaded terrorist simply to prevent him from standing by local candidates."

Reiterating his faith in democratic values, YS Jagan challenged the ruling dispensation to reflect on YSRCP's tenure. "Did a single such barbaric incident take place under our government? We governed with accountability, fulfilled 95% of our promises, and earned an 86% mandate in local bodies on our own merit. Unable to answer the public on the non-delivery of their hollow 'Super Six' and 'Super Seven' guarantees, this government has turned the entire state into a living nightmare," he concluded, urging constitutional institutions to intervene before democracy is completely dismantled in Andhra Pradesh.