Andhra urban local body polls: Re-polling in 13 stations after booth capture

Re-polling is being held in 13 polling stations of seven different urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh on November 2. The urban local body polls held on November 1 saw many allegations of vote rigging and booth capture allegedly by supporters of the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government.

Four polling stations in Pulivendula municipality were ordered to go for fresh polls as booth capture had taken place, an order from the State Election Commission said on November 1. 

The counting of votes will happen on November 3. 

Former chief minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had alleged rampant rigging in his constituency Pulivendula and demanded re-polling when he arrived there to cast his vote. His aunt, YS Prameelamma, is the party’s candidate for the post of Pulivendula municipality chairperson. 

Fresh polls are also being held in one polling station each in Anantapur, Kadapa, and Tirupati municipal corporations, and various polling stations in Macherla, Jammalamadugu, and Chimakurthy municipalities, with the SEC concluding that booth capture had taken place. 

Final polling figures shared by the SEC showed a 60.96% turnout across the state. 

Jagan had alleged on November 1 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. 

He 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?,” he said.