YSRCP said alleged intimidation would not drive it from Andhra Pradesh's local elections. The party sought judicial scrutiny and Supreme Court relief over obstructed nominations.
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Amaravati,Oct 20, 2026 20:46 IST
Alleged attacks, intimidation and criminal cases will not force the YSRCP out of the ongoing local body elections in Andhra Pradesh, party state coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said on Tuesday, according to news agency Press Trust of India.
Reddy also demanded an inquiry by a sitting High Court judge into the recent alleged police firing in Pulivendula. He claimed police opened fire without provocation while opposition candidates were trying to file their nominations.
“Attacks, intimidation and criminal cases will not force YSRCP out of elections,” Reddy said in a party release cited by PTI.
He alleged that the TDP-led coalition government was “preventing nominations, coercing withdrawals and engineering rejections” before celebrating “unopposed victories”.
“Chandrababu Naidu and his media were portraying this exclusion as public support while blaming YSRCP for violence committed by ruling-party groups. Police were going further than TDP workers, directly attacking and obstructing candidates,” he alleged.
Reddy claimed that the Preventive Detention Act was invoked against senior Dalit leader Rajaiah in Duggirala, which is part of Lokesh's Mangalagiri constituency, to prevent him from participating in the forthcoming MPP election. He also alleged that caste and no-dues certificates were being delayed and candidates were facing threats.
In Kadapa, police stopped around 40 to 50 prospective candidates and 10 to 12 nominations were rejected, Reddy alleged. He claimed that the government was celebrating uncontested results after systematically removing electoral competition.
“This organised intimidation required judicial scrutiny and immediate SEC intervention. YSRCP would continue its legal battle up to the Supreme Court, expose government failures and stand collectively against obstruction,” Reddy said.
On October 19, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP approached the Supreme Court over the alleged “violence, attacks and obstruction of its candidates during the nomination process” in the ongoing local body elections in Andhra Pradesh.
The opposition party sought an extension of the nomination deadline and another opportunity for candidates who were allegedly prevented from filing their papers because of “violence and intimidation by ruling party leaders”.
According to the party release cited by PTI, YSRCP general secretary L Appi Reddy filed a special leave petition challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court's October 18 order refusing to extend the nomination deadline, which ended the same day. The petition was filed through Advocate-on-Record Mahfooz A Nazki.
The party informed the Supreme Court about alleged violent incidents in Punganur, Rayachoti, Kadapa and Tirupati during the nomination process. It alleged that YSRCP candidates were attacked, threatened and prevented from reaching nomination centres.
In Kadapa, nomination papers were allegedly snatched and torn. In the Tirupati Municipal Corporation, nine YSRCP candidates were allegedly prevented from filing their nominations, the release said.
YSRCP asked the Supreme Court to direct the authorities to provide adequate police protection to candidates and ensure that they could file their nominations “without fear”.
Meanwhile, the TDP said in a post on X that YSRCP's agenda was “Rowdyism and winning elections to obstruct development”.
“Making AP (Andhra Pradesh) number one in the country in development—that's our (TDP) agenda. With the enthusiasm of the 2024 elections, people should vote and ensure the alliance wins. We'll take care of the rowdies' affairs,” the ruling party said. It also claimed that “the YSRCP president trusted rowdies, thugs, and criminals”.
While YSRCP has sought judicial scrutiny and moved the Supreme Court over the alleged obstruction of its candidates, the TDP has rejected its position and accused the opposition party of promoting violence and obstructing development.
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