Tension prevailed during the Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) bypolls in the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) stronghold of Pulivendula and neighbouring Vontimitta on Tuesday after Kadapa MP Y S Avinash Reddy, who is also the cousin of party chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, was taken into “preventive custody”.
According to the police, the MP was taken into custody as they anticipated escalation in violence following a clash between the workers of the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSRCP. The police also pointed out that TDP MLC Ram Gopal Reddy and his supporters were also taken into preventive custody to ensure the free and fair conduct of bypolls.
Refuting the police’s claims, the YSRCP in a statement said, “Avinash, a sitting MP, was taken into custody without any notice and reason. He was manhandled after he complained of booth capturing by TDP cadre. The police are working for the TDP and their bias is clearly visible.” Claiming that its state secretary Satish Reddy was also taken into preventive custody, the party also alleged that hundreds of TDP and Jana Sena Party (JSP) workers had arrived in Pulivendula to create tension.
The ZPTC bypolls, being held along with bypolls for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) in Ramakuppam of Chittoor, Karampudi of Palnadu and Vidavalur of Nellore, have turned into a prestige battle as Jagan is the Pulivendula MLA and is looking to regain a foothold in his home turf.
The TDP, on the other hand, is looking to deal another blow to the YSRCP in its own backyard. In Kadapa district – seen to be a stronghold of the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy family – the YSRCP managed to win only three of the 10 seats in last year’s Assembly polls.
The week leading up to the bypolls too has been stormy with the YSRCP and TDP training barbs. The YSRCP has alleged that the TDP is misusing state machinery in its bid to win the high-stakes bypolls. “On August 8, officials shifted polling booths from villages to far-off locations, forcing around 4,000 YSRCP supporters voters in Pulivendula to travel 2 to 4 km while facing the threat of attacks on the way. This also creates a scope for booth capturing and rigging,” a YSRCP leader said.
Following the culmination of a high-octane, week-long campaign on Monday, a YSRCP delegation also met the State Election Commission (SEC) officials in Vijayawada with a demand to halt the “unprecedented subversion of democracy” by the TDP. As polling proceeded on Tuesday, the delegation submitted a memorandum to state election commissioner Neelam Sawhney demanding immediate action against the “TDP’s blatant malpractices” of not allowing women to vote, house arresting the Pulivendula candidate Hemant Reddy and misusing police machinery.
Demanding the cancellation of bypolls, YSRCP leader Sake Sailajanath on Tuesday termed them as a “shame to democracy” and accused the TDP of “manipulating institutions to rig the election process”. “I have never seen such unethical practices in my political career. The SEC ignored our complaints while the police enabled fake voting by TDP goons. The SEC let democracy be trampled,” he said.
Hemant Reddy is up against the TDP’s M Latha Reddy and Congress’s Shiva Kalyan Reddy in Pulivendula while in Vontimitta, the TDP’s Muddu Krishna Reddy is facing off against YSRCP’s Iragamreddy Subbareddy, Congress’ Vijay Bhaskar and nine other Independents.
The ZPTC bypoll in Pulivendula was necessitated due to the death of sitting member Mahender Reddy while in Vontimitta by-election was necessitated after Amarnath Reddy resigned after he became the Rajampet MLA in the 2024 Assembly polls.
On its part, the TDP has denied the allegations. “It is strange and shameful that the Pulivendula MLA, who never upheld values, is speaking about irregularities and destruction… Earlier, ZPTC, MPTC posts were filled through fear but now polls are being conducted democratically as 11 persons have filed nominations,” state Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said on Monday.
