The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Sunday, 25 October 2026 launched a sharp attack on the coalition government in Andhra Pradesh, accusing it of making a mockery of the democratic process in the ongoing local body polls through widespread electoral malpractices. The opposition party vowed to exhaust every legal and political avenue available while refusing to withdraw from the electoral contest.

Key Allegations Against the Coalition Government

Speaking to reporters in Nellore, former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy alleged that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was directing official machinery to subvert the nomination and election process. He claimed that YSRCP candidates were being systematically prevented from filing nomination papers, and that in several instances, goons allegedly snatched or tore up nomination documents that had already been submitted.

Reddy further alleged that even when candidates overcame those obstacles, Returning Officers were rejecting nomination papers on what he described as 'flimsy grounds.' 'In the subsequent phases, candidates are being arrested and threatened, while some of our active leaders are being kept in jail,' he alleged.

Supreme Court Directives Ignored, Claims YSRCP

The former minister alleged that the state administration had failed to comply with directives from the Supreme Court on the conduct of the polls. 'Even after the apex court's admonition, CM Chandrababu Naidu has not learned any lessons and continued with his old tactics,' Reddy said, alleging that the pattern of intimidation had shown no sign of abating across election phases. The Supreme Court's specific directives were not detailed in available statements.

Why YSRCP Says It Entered the Fray

Govardhan Reddy argued that the YSRCP's decision to contest the local body polls was a direct response to what he called the coalition government's failures across multiple fronts. He claimed that during former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure, the party had chosen not to field candidates in the previous local body polls because welfare schemes had ensured public contentment — and that the current participation was a sign of growing voter disillusionment with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition.

'This has become an eyesore for Chandrababu Naidu, prompting him to direct the official machinery to play foul in the election process,' Reddy alleged. The coalition government had not issued a formal response to the allegations at the time of this report.

YSRCP's Next Steps

Govardhan Reddy made clear that the party would not withdraw its candidates despite the alleged intimidation. 'We are exploring all our options and will move forward. We will not back out of the polls,' he said. The YSRCP indicated it was considering all available legal and political remedies, including possible further recourse to the courts, though no specific petition or filing was announced immediately.

With local body polls unfolding in phases across the state, the allegations of electoral malpractice are likely to intensify scrutiny of the administration's conduct and could prompt fresh judicial intervention in the coming days.