YSRCP alleges rigging in local body polls

Ongole: YSR Congress Party State General Secretary and Ongole Parliament Coordinator Dr Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy has accused the ruling coalition government of rigging the local body elections in Prakasam and Markapuram districts.

Speaking at a press meet in Ongole on Thursday, Bhaskar Reddy alleged that the coalition threatened opposition candidates to stop them from filing nominations. He said some candidates who reached the nomination centres were physically stopped. He alleged that the scrutiny process rejected valid nomination papers.

According to him, the rigging on polling day was planned in advance. He claimed that lights were switched off at counting centres and ballot papers were mixed up. He alleged that YSRCP votes were added to the TDP count. In Ongole Municipal Corporation, he said the party won five corporator seats, but officials gave certificates to TDP candidates.

He added that in Darsi, the moral victory belongs to YSRCP district president and local MLA Dr B Siva Prasad Reddy and the voters. Bhaskar Reddy asked why a three-party alliance that says it will rule for 30 years is so afraid of one opposition party. He warned police and civil officials who, he said, bent the rules to please political leaders. He said private criminal cases and election petitions with strong evidence will be filed in court against such officers, from polling staff to Superintendents of Police and Collectors.

On the coming Sarpanch elections, Bhaskar Reddy asked party workers to contest every post. He advised them to file five to ten nominations for each ward member seat to avoid unfair rejection. He said the party will give full legal support to workers facing harassment.

When asked about former YSRCP MP V Vijayasai Reddy launching a new party, Bhaskar Reddy said leaders look strong only while they stand with Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. He said those who leave cannot grow politically or find peace of mind. He cited Balineni Srinivasa Reddy’s departure as an example and said Vijaya Sai Reddy will face the same reality.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Naresh Nandam

Naresh.Nandam[email protected]

Naresh Babu Nandam works as a Special Correspondent at The Hans India and primarily covers the erstwhile Prakasam district. He has a master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a bachelor's degree in Law. He has around twenty years of experience in print and broadcast journalism. He is a certified Google News Initiative trainer for fact-checking and online verification. Outside his journalism work, he is an OSINT practitioner and takes part in CTF challenges. He is the author of a spiritual thriller titled 'The Amber Scroll', available on Amazon.in.

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