YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a strong attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu following the YSR Congress Party’s defeat in the recent municipal elections. Addressing the media, the former Chief Minister alleged that the election process was unfair and accused the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of manipulating the polls at multiple stages.
Taking a direct swipe at Chandrababu Naidu, Jagan claimed that Andhra Pradesh had lost its earlier reputation under the present government. He remarked that the state, which was once respected, is now being referred to as ‘South Bihar’ because of the alleged actions of the ruling party.
“Chandrababu Garu, Andhra Pradesh used to have a certain respect earlier. Now, because of you, people are calling our state South Bihar,” Jagan said while criticising the Chief Minister.
During the press conference, the YSRCP chief questioned the fairness of the municipal elections and alleged that the TDP had taken control of the entire electoral process. He claimed that irregularities began during the nomination stage and continued through scrutiny, polling and vote counting.
Questioning the credibility of the election process, Jagan asked whether the municipal polls were genuine elections or merely selections. He alleged that the ruling party had used its influence to prevent opposition candidates from participating freely and to gain an advantage throughout the process.
Jagan also accused the TDP of misusing the police machinery to support its political interests. According to him, even YSRCP candidates who managed to secure victories in certain areas faced alleged irregularities and attempts to undermine their electoral success.
The former Chief Minister further claimed that Chandrababu Naidu was concerned about the possibility of losing political support if elections were conducted in a transparent and democratic manner. He accused the Chief Minister of hijacking the electoral process rather than allowing voters to exercise their choices freely.
Concluding his criticism, Jagan made an emotional appeal over what he described as a threat to democracy in Andhra Pradesh. He ended his remarks with the words, “Hey Ram, Save Andhra! Hey Ram, Save Democracy!”
The remarks have brought the municipal election results and allegations surrounding the electoral process into the political spotlight, with Jagan strongly targeting the TDP government and Chandrababu Naidu.
