Jagan Seeks Central Forces for Free, Fair Polls

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday demanded deployment of Central forces in the state to ensure free and fair local body elections.

Accusing the ruling coalition of unleashing a reign of terror to stop YSRCP candidates from filing nominations, he urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to intervene and provide security to candidates coming to nomination centres to file their papers.

He alleged that the entire system, from the SEC to the police under the direction of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu were obstructing the process of nominations as he was "scared of defeat".

Jagan Mohan Reddy, who earlier called on State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha, told him that if candidates are not allowed to file their nominations, the reputation of the Commission and its officials would be at stake. "If the SEC becomes a party to such undemocratic practices by allowing nominations to be obstructed, it would be an unprecedented incident in history. We urged the SEC not to be part of such practices," he said.

He requested the SEC to ensure that every candidate who wishes to file a nomination is allowed to do so through an online system or at a centralised location at the SEC office in Amaravati.

"We also asked the Commission to arrange police escorts, with the respective Superintendents of Police (SPs) taking responsibility, to ensure that candidates can file their nominations without obstruction," he said

“We also pointed out that if candidates are facing such difficulties even at the nomination stage, one can only imagine the plight of candidates and voters when the actual polling takes place. Therefore, it is crucial that central forces be deployed and that elections be conducted under the supervision of paramilitary forces. We requested the SEC to speak to the authorities in Delhi once again and exert pressure to ensure their deployment,” he said.

He also informed the SEC that he would meet the Governor and try to impress upon him the need to request the deployment of paramilitary forces.

Jagan said wherever YSRCP candidates are going to file nominations, thousands of TDP goons are already positioned in large numbers within the premises of the nomination centres, with the police facilitating their presence. “When they try to enter, their nomination papers are literally snatched and torn, and they are not allowed to file their nominations, all in full view of the police standing right beside them,” he said.

Alleging that Chandrababu Naidu breached every promise he made in the 2024 elections, Jagan remarked that Chandrababu Naidu has no face to go to people to seek their votes.

“The measure of atrocities is unprecedented with YSRCP candidates’ nomination papers being snatched away and their associates being attacked, false cases being foisted, kidnapping, arson, intimidation, all under the watch of police,” he said.

The YSRCP chief said the party MPs in Kadapa, Punganuru and Tirupati were stopped, their nomination papers were snatched away or not received, and their vehicles were attacked, and their supporters beaten up by TDP goons. At Pulivendula, the police behaved like TDP cadre and pelted stones, fired in the air and tried to terrorise candidates who came to file the papers. Police firing at candidates who came to file their papers is unprecedented. "While police are allowing TDP goons to gather in a mob, YSRCP cadre is not allowed even the permitted four persons inside the nomination centre," he said.

Asserting that this was a passing phase, YS Jagan said that all erring persons will have to face the consequences in the coming days.