High drama in Pulivendula as Jagan stages sit-in, refuses to vote in ULB polls

YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy staging a protest outside the office of the Returning Officer in Pulivendula on Sunday.

The process of elections to the Urban Local Bodies in the constituency of Pulivendula, represented by YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, witnessed high-voltage drama on Sunday, with the former Chief Minister staging a sit-in outside the office of the Returning Officer.

After mobilising his party cadres, including a few claiming to be polling agents, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy staged a dharna accusing the officials of acting in a biased manner, which led to further escalation of tension in the town.

The protest was a fallout of the YSRCP’s allegation that its agents were barred from entering polling booths during the elections.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had initially announced that he would reach the Returning Officer’s office to lodge a complaint regarding the exclusion of party agents. When the officials denied him entry citing rules, he sprang a surprise by sitting on the road right in front of the building’s main gate, where party leaders and candidates joined. Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy and former MLC S.V. Satish Reddy joined the protest.

Turning his ire on the officials, the YSRCP chief expressed severe dissatisfaction over the conduct of the polling process, and demanded re-poll in the affected polling stations. He said more than three-fourths of his party agents were prevented from entering the polling stations.

Speaking to the media later, the YSRCP chief accused the State Election Commission (SEC) of not ensuring a level-playing field, besides overtly taking sides with the ruling NDA government in the State.

“During the nomination phase, and on the voting and counting days, the SEC should give every side and every candidate an opportunity to win. Only then it will be termed as an election,” he said.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had announced during his previous visit three days ago that he would visit Pulivendula on the election day. Though he reached the town as announced, he returned without casting his vote in the election in which his aunt Y.S. Prameela was the chairperson candidate.

Meanwhile, three cars, 10 motorcycles and a tractor had been torched at a garden that belonged to a person called Madhusudhan Reddy near Pulivendula at around midnight on Saturday.

As the election process began, several wards witnessed sporadic clashes between warring TDP and YSRCP groups. Severe stone-pelting was reported from various wards, allegedly to scare away common voters.

Meanwhile, in a sensational twist, Shaik Dastagiri, the prime accused-turned-approver in the murder case of former MP Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, came across Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s convoy. As he got down from his car and attempted to walk towards the convoy, the police stopped him. He reportedly yelled at Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of being responsible for the plight of his family now.

Meanwhile, the TDP leaders complained to the election authorities to initiate action against Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy for the poll-day violations, including taking out a “roadshow” in the town.