AP civic polls: Reporters attacked, threatened to leave from polling booths

Former chief minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has demanded re-polling alleging rampant rigging in Andhra Pradesh’s urban local body elections. Jagan made the demand when he arrived to cast his vote in the Pulivendula municipal elections. 

As voting began around 7 am on November 1, several incidents of clashes and violence were reported from Pulivendula, Jagan’s constituency. Reporters covering the election in Pulivendula, Basheer and cameraperson Vijay from India Today, and Suresh from NTV were also attacked and their cameras damaged. 

Around 6.30 am, minutes after NTV reporter Suresh was attacked, two TNM reporters reached the YSVRM Junior College polling booth in Pulivendula town. They were immediately warned by a group of men in white shirts not to film anything. As the reporters continued to head towards the polling booth, they were warned by another person, who told them that "the situation is not good" and insisted that they leave. He was soon joined by a few other men, who warned the reporters to leave the premises. 

The police personnel present there also insisted that the reporters leave to “avoid trouble”, as the booth appeared to be captured by TDP supporters.

Addressing the media in Pulivendula, Jagan said that out of 80 polling booths in the town, YSRCP agents were driven out from 70 of them. He questioned how the election could be conducted without the presence of the party agents, and demanded re-polling in Pulivendula. 

Jagan staged a protest outside the Returning Officer’s office in Pulivendula after officials refused to allow him inside.

He also said that TDP workers began occupying polling booths as early as 4 am, and personally oversaw the removal of YSRCP agents from polling booths, with police actively assisting them.

The TDP on the other hand has blamed YSRCP for the violence, and complained to the State Election Commission. TDP MLA Varla Ramaiah alleged that it was YSRCP workers who attacked the India Today cameraperson. 

YSRCP candidate for the Pulivendula municipality chairperson’s post, YS Prameelamma, was allegedly attacked during voting. TDP workers also allegedly injured a YSRCP polling agent Sunanda, fracturing an arm.

Polling figures shared by the State Election Commission (SEC) at 1 pm show 37.13% turnout across the state, and a 51.51% turnout in Pulivendula. 

Jagan alleged that people who arrived to cast their votes were blocked at polling stations and sent back, women voters threatened, and their voter slips forcibly snatched away before they were sent back. A similar situation prevailed in Kadapa, Jammalamadugu, Chittoor, Macherla, Chilakaluripet, Tadipatri, Madanapalle, and Chimakurthi, Jagan alleged. 

“Hundreds of individuals are visible at every polling booth. Clearly, they are goons belonging to the TDP. Yet, no action is taken against them,” Jagan said, adding that the district Collector and Superintendent of Police  failed to take action despite being informed about the situation. 

Jagan slammed Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for the way elections were being conducted. “If elections are conducted in Andhra Pradesh in this manner, driven by vendetta and deep-seated animosity, what will happen when another party eventually comes to power? Their party workers might ask, ‘If it wasn't wrong when you did it, why should it be wrong when we do it?’ and they could retaliate in kind.”