YS Jagan demands President's Rule in AP, slams Naidu's 'jungle raj'

YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded the immediate imposition of President's Rule in Andhra Pradesh, alleging a complete breakdown of law and order and widespread political violence orchestrated by CM Chandrababu Naidu during local elections.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday demanded the immediate imposition of President’s Rule in Andhra Pradesh, alleging widespread political violence and a breakdown of law and order during the ongoing local body election nomination process.

In a post on X, Reddy accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of "crippling law and order." He also accused the Chief Minister of running a "jungle raj" in the state. "The Constitution has collapsed in Andhra Pradesh. They are brazenly murdering democracy. On the occasion of local election nominations, for the second consecutive day, @ncbn has completely crippled law and order. He is issuing thug licenses to his party's cronies and using the police machinery as their backing. By once again proving his legacy as a political terrorist, he is running a jungle raj in the state," he said.

Allegations of Violence Against Opposition Candidates

Reddy further underlined that the State government of creating a situation where the Opposition candidates cannot even file their nominations. He claimed that the YSRCP candidates were chased with knives and sticks within the nomination centres. He further alleged that the police officials are abducting the candidates in the middle of the night, terming it as Chandrababu Naidu's brand of democracy.

"They have created a dire situation where opposition candidates can't even file their nominations. Right in front of the police, within the premises of nomination centres, they are chasing YSRCP candidates with knives and sticks, surrounding nomination centres, breaking into RO offices to tear up nomination papers, and the police are abducting candidates in the middle of the night. This is Chandrababu's brand of democracy! They are inciting violence with the power of authority to unilaterally hijack the elections," he said.

Attacks on YSRCP MPs

The YSRCP chief also alleged that party MPs who accompanied candidates as proposers had been targeted, with nomination papers allegedly snatched and torn from their hands. "What's horrific is that they didn't spare even our party's MPs who went as proposers for the candidates. They snatched and tore up nomination papers from their hands. Attacks took place right in front of the police, carried out by the police themselves, on three MPs. In a state where even MPs have no protection, what is the condition of the common people?" he further asked in the post.

Widespread Incidents and Police Complicity Alleged

Reddy cited alleged incidents of violence across several areas, including Kadapa, Pulivendula, Kamalapuram, Jammalamadugu, Rajampet, Rayachoti, Punganur, Tirupati, Darshi, Dachepalli and Gurazala. "From Kadapa, Pulivendula, Kamalapuram, Jammalamadugu, Rajampet, Rayachoti, Punganur, Tirupati, Darshi, Dachepalli, Gurazala, and across the state, these incidents are glaring proof, like salt in the eyes, of how disastrously democracy has plummeted under Chandrababu's rule. The police firing in Pulivendula is a bomb exploded on democracy. Behind this too is Chandrababu's conspiracy! Why did the police attack and beat candidates and proposers who came to file nominations? Why did they resort to firing?" he questioned.

He further raised allegations, questioning whether Chandrababu Naidu is blocking nominations without letting them be filed in an election or abducting opposition candidates with the help of police democracy. "Is orchestrating attacks on MPs constitutional governance?" he asked.

Call for Central Intervention

Asserting that constitutional systems have been entirely neutralised and democratic rights trampled, the YSRCP leader urged the central government to intervene without delay. "In this situation where constitutional systems in the state are being neutralised, and democratic rights are being trampled, the central government must intervene immediately. I am demanding the imposition of President's Rule in Andhra Pradesh. From this backstabbing party that cheated people by issuing bonds after scamming them with Super 6, Super 7 frauds, what more can we expect?" he said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)