Did Over 70% Polling Occur in Jagan’s Constituency By-Election?

Amaravati, Aug 12 (NationPress) Over 70 percent of registered voters participated in the by-elections for the Pulivendula and Ontimitta Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) in YSR Kadapa district on Tuesday. The opposition party, YSRCP, accused the ruling party of significant irregularities and called for the cancellation of the by-election.

The polling commenced at 7 a.m. under stringent security measures and concluded at 5 p.m. Voters who were still in line at 5 p.m. were permitted to cast their votes.

Despite a few minor incidents, the voting process proceeded without any major disturbances. The results will be announced on August 14.

In total, eleven candidates are competing in both segments within the Pulivendula Assembly constituency, which is the stronghold of former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party leader Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Around 10,600 voters were eligible to vote across 15 polling centers in the Pulivendula ZPTC, while the Ontimitta ZPTC had a voter base of 24,000.

There was a dramatic situation when YSRCP leader and Kadapa MP Y. S. Avinash Reddy, who had been taken into preventive custody earlier, managed to evade the police and appeared at the YSRCP office in Pulivendula.

The police, after pursuing him, arrived at the office where YSRCP workers attempted to lock him in a room to obstruct the police.

Police officials, including DIG Koya Praveen and SP Ashok Kumar, arrived at the scene and instructed the workers to open the door. The officials admonished the MP for escaping their custody.

Later, the MP, a cousin of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was taken to the DSP office, remaining there until 5 p.m.

In another occurrence, the YSRCP’s Kadapa district president and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s maternal uncle, Ravindranath Reddy, along with other leaders, forcibly entered a polling booth in Ontimitta, prompting police intervention.

Police also placed YSRCP state secretary Satish Reddy under house arrest in Vempally and TDP MLC Ramgopal Reddy in Pulivendula.

Meanwhile, YSRCP leader and former minister Sake Sailajanath called for the immediate cancellation of the Pulivendula and Ontimitta ZPTC by-elections, demanding fresh and transparent polls. He accused the State Election Commission (SEC) and the government of failing to uphold democratic principles, alleging that the ruling TDP manipulated the process to rig the elections.

Sailajanath labeled the elections a “disgrace to democracy,” citing instances of booth capturing, relocation of polling stations, removal of YSRCP agents, and intimidation of voters.

Although these are merely by-elections for two local body seats, they have garnered significant attention due to the high stakes involved.

The by-elections represent a contest of prestige for both the ruling TDP and the opposition YSRCP.

While Jagan seeks to solidify his influence in Pulivendula, the TDP aims to expand its reach into the YS family’s stronghold.

Last year, the TDP-led NDA alliance secured seven out of ten Assembly seats in Jagan’s home district, Kadapa.

The Pulivendula Assembly seat has been a bastion for the YSR family for nearly five decades, with the family never losing an election there since 1978, when Jagan’s father and former Chief Minister Y. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) achieved his first victory from this constituency.

The by-poll for Pulivendula ZPTC was necessitated by the passing of YSRCP leader T. Maheshwar Reddy. The YSRCP has nominated his son, Hemanth Reddy, while the TDP's candidate is Latha Reddy, the wife of former MLC and the ruling party’s Pulivendula constituency in-charge, Mareddy Ravindra Reddy (B Tech Ravi).

Ontimitta is also holding a ZPTC by-poll due to the resignation of its member, YSRCP leader Akepati Amarnath Reddy, after winning the Rajampet Assembly election last year.

In Ontimitta, TDP’s Muddu Krishna Reddy is competing against YSRCP’s Iragamreddy Subbareddy.