Even Before Result, Jagan Asks Pulivendula Re-poll

Generally, political parties ask for re-polling and recounting when they suspect foul play in the counting procedure. But for a change, YS Jagan has called for re-polling just hours after the completion of the Pulivendula ZPTC election. 

Jagan stated Chandrababu Naidu has turned Pulivendula and Ontimitta ZPTC by-elections into a mockery of democracy using the entire government machinery and police like his own party workers. 

“Our polling agents were beaten, forms snatched, and genuine voters were stopped, threatened, and sent back, while outsiders were brought in to cast bogus votes. Polling booths were deliberately moved far from villages to trouble voters, and TDP leaders stationed hundreds of men at each booth to block anyone except their supporters” Jagan stated. 

It is being reported that the Pulivendula ZPTC election is likely to be won by the TDP candidate, Lata Reddy, who is the wife of TDP’s defeated MLA Ravi. This would be a humiliation to Jagan and his party as losing Pulivendula ZPTC seat would be a nail in the coffin for YCP. This could be precisely the reason why Jagan is calling for reelection even before the process is completed. 

Jagan had appealed to the state election commission to hold the Pulivendula and Ontimitta ZPTC election under the scrutiny of the central EC. But this appeal is not likely to be taken on merit by the authorities as such arguments are made very frequently by losing parties.