YSRCP accuses coalition govt. of electoral malpractices in Pulivendula and Ontimitta ZPTC byelections

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders on Monday accused the coalition government of grossly misusing power and undermining the democratic process during the ongoing Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) byelections in Pulivendula and Ontimitta.

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A delegation of prominent YSRCP leaders, including Lella Appi Reddy, Mondithoka Arun Kumar, Kalpalatha Reddy, former Ministers Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) and Vellampalli Srinivas Rao, Jogi Ramesh, former MLAs Malladi Vishnu and Hafeez Khan, Vijayawada Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, and Deputy Mayors Avuthu Shailaja and Narayanamurthy, met with State Election Commission officials in Vijayawada to lodge a formal complaint.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, the delegation alleged that the ruling party, with the backing of police and revenue officials, is openly distributing cash to voters, intimidating them, and unlawfully confiscating voter slips. Despite heavy police deployments, they claimed violations continue unchecked, with the Election Commission’s special squads failing to take effective action.

Mr. Perni Nani alleged that voters in villages such as Kottapalle and Nallapureddypalle are being offered ₹10,000 to sway their votes, and those who refuse are threatened with false police cases. He further accused the ruling party of misappropriating half of the funds allocated for vote-buying and controversially shifting polling stations to neighbouring villages.

Mr. Jogi Ramesh asserted that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s primary objective is to secure the Pulivendula ZPTC seat to demoralise YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Drawing parallels to tactics allegedly used in the Nandyal byelection, he condemned the misuse of administrative machinery to benefit the ruling party’s campaign.

The YSRCP delegation urged the Election Commission to ensure the immediate and transparent distribution of voter lists and slips, establish a voter complaint call centre, install surveillance cameras inside and outside all polling stations, and guarantee the safety of their polling agents.

They warned that if these “undemocratic” practices persist, the credibility of the election process itself will be at risk.