YSR Congress Party has urged the State Election Commission to order fresh nominations or postponement of elections in 22 urban local bodies, where its candidates were allegedly prevented from filing nominations. A delegation of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders met State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha and submitted video evidence of attacks, intimidation and destroyed nomination papers.
MLC and State General Secretary Lella Appi Reddy, accompanied by former MLA T. J. R. Sudhakar Babu, Narayana Murthy and other leaders, handed over evidence in a pen drive and three representations. Later, addressing the media, Appi Reddy said TDP workers tore nomination papers of the opposition out of fear of defeat, while police supported them and, in some places, police themselves snatched papers.
The party’s submission showed YSRCP candidates filed nominations in only 321 of 809 wards and divisions across the 22 local bodies, leaving 488 without nominations. Nominations for eight municipal chairpersons were also prevented. Citing the case of Mydukur, where elections were postponed by the State Election Commission after 19 nomination papers were destroyed, Appi Reddy demanded that the same remedy be applied in 22 other urban local bodies.
He brought attacks on MPs Mithun Reddy, Gurumoorthy and Avinash Reddy to the Commission’s attention. The SEC was told that violence continued during scrutiny, with nomination papers torn inside centres in Atmakur and Kanigiri.
YSRCP workers were attacked in Proddatur and Kuppam. Kuppam chairperson candidate Vijay Kumar was abducted, and his whereabouts remained unknown. He also sought immediate rescue of abducted candidates and protection for their families.
Appi Reddy demanded compliance with High Court directions on CCTV cameras, police protection and transparent elections. Surveillance and webcasting arrangements remained absent in several centres despite repeated requests, he said.
He demanded that recordings be preserved, TDP leaders responsible for violence be prosecuted, and complicit officials be removed from election duties. He urged the SEC to examine Tirupati mayoral candidate Vasu Yadav’s BC certificates and decide his nomination strictly under the rules, without political pressure. Affected candidates must receive a fresh opportunity before any uncontested declaration.
Meanwhile, YSRCP has condemned what it called statewide attacks, abductions and destruction of nomination papers during scrutiny of nominations for municipal elections. It claimed that in Kuppam, chairperson candidate Vijay Kumar was abducted, MLC Bharath’s residence attacked, and candidates Jayashankar and Jayanth hospitalised with serious head injuries.
In Tadipatri, Kotla Shafi’s house and furniture were damaged, candidate Mohammed Jaffar was abducted, and intimidation prevented nominations in five wards. In Proddatur, Poreddy Narasimha Reddy’s papers were snatched and torn. Police blocked candidates and lathi-charged workers, seriously injuring Rajasekhar’s eye. Police also obstructed scrutiny in Badvel. In Chittoor, TDP workers stoned the YSRCP office.
YSRCP demands fresh nomination process in 22 urban local bodies
