Is Chandrababu Naidu in Contact with Rahul Gandhi?

Amaravati, Aug 13 (NationPress) The former Chief Minister and YSRCP chief, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, revealed on Wednesday that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been communicating with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi via a 'hotline'.

While questioning Rahul Gandhi's silence regarding the 'vote chori' allegations brought up by YSRCP following last year’s elections, he claimed that Chandrababu Naidu maintained contact with Rahul Gandhi through Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

“Why didn’t you join us when we raised a similar issue after the 2024 elections, where there was a discrepancy of 12 percent between the votes cast and those counted?” he asked during a press conference.

When asked about Rahul Gandhi discussing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the YSRCP leader challenged Gandhi’s silence on what he termed the corruption of the TDP-led coalition government. He noted, “Congress spokesperson Manickam Tagore criticizes only me, suggesting that Chandrababu Naidu has a direct line to Rahul Gandhi. How else can he ignore the rampant corruption of the coalition government, especially with the rise of belt shops, permit rooms, and liquor sales exceeding MRP?”

Jagan Mohan Reddy called for fresh elections for the by-elections in Pulivendula and Ontimitta ZPTCs under the supervision of Central forces, deeming the polls held on August 12 a ‘mockery of democracy’.

“The incidents that transpired in Pulivendula and Ontimitta represent the true essence of ‘vote chori’,” he remarked.

He expressed that the elections conducted on Tuesday undermined the democratic spirit, as all YSRCP agents were removed, alongside party supporters who had their forms and slips seized and destroyed.

Polls were conducted on Tuesday for Pulivendula and Ontimitta Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) in Jagan Mohan Reddy’s assembly constituency, Pulivendula, located in YSR Kadapa district.

He announced that YSRCP candidates intend to approach the court to annul the elections.

The YSRCP leader characterized the election as exceedingly atrocious and undemocratic. “Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has established a perilous precedent detrimental to democracy, as the spirit of elections is compromised by such nefarious actions, conducted under police protection and with outsiders commandeering the booths and engaging in widespread rigging,” he stated.

He alleged that for approximately 10,600 votes across 15 booths, a force of 700 police was deployed not to maintain order but to intimidate voters, and the arbitrary relocation of polling booths was merely to threaten voters or send them home.

Presenting footage of identified active TDP members from Jammalamadugu and other locations participating in the voting process, he noted the dismay of locals who were barred from voting. He mentioned that even the ZPTC candidate from Pulivendula was placed under house arrest, while MP YS Avinash Reddy, who was outside the election area, was also detained.

Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the police of acting as agents of the TDP, allowing party members to roam freely while obstructing legitimate voters under the guise of associating with YSRCP. Leaders and MLAs from the TDP oversaw the elections.

The former CM claimed that the police were specifically chosen for this purpose and behaved in a biased manner to satisfy CM Chandrababu Naidu, who has been known to intimidate police officials who do not comply with his directives by imprisoning them or denying them postings.

“This cannot be classified as an election since polling agents, crucial to the process—from validating voter lists to identifying voters and filing complaints about fraudulent voters—were denied access, with their authorization forms snatched and destroyed,” he asserted.

“This is a troubling trend, as the State Election Commission ignored our complaints regarding violence, police bias, and atrocities, and did not respond to our requests for the release of CCTV footage. We will also be taking this matter to court,” he added, emphasizing the need to safeguard democracy.