TDP wins Pulivendula, Vontimitta ZPTC bypolls in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, Aug 14 (PTI) The TDP won the Pulivendula and Vontimitta ZPTC bypolls in Kadapa district, defeating the opposition YSRCP in the local body elections which witnessed clashes and skirmishes between the two parties.

According to an official release on Thursday, "TDP candidate M Latha Reddy won the Pulivendula ZPTC bypoll with 6,716 votes against YSRCP candidate Hemanth Reddy." Bypolls for Pulivendula and Vontimitta Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) were held on August 12.

The ZPTC bypoll in Pulivendula assumes significance as the local assembly constituency is represented by former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, while Kadapa district is considered to be the bastion of YSR (YS Rajasekhar Reddy) family.

TDP candidate M Krishna Reddy Addaluru won the Vontimitta ZPTC bypoll against YSRCP rival I Subba Reddy, garnering 12,780 votes, said an official release.

Meanwhile, Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy criticised a section of media houses for allegedly glorifying "fake voting in the bypolls".

Talking to reporters in Pulivendula YSRCP office, Reddy alleged that large scale bogus voting took place in the bypolls.

"How such elections, where voters were prevented from reaching polling stations and votes were cast illegally, could be called democratic," said Reddy in a party release.

He alleged that the TDP, in collusion with the "yellow media", is trying to "divert public attention from its (TDP) misdeeds and falsely project the elections as free and fair".

Claiming that everyone in Pulivendula knows that the results were predetermined due to alleged one-sided bogus voting, he accused the "yellow media" of creating a "false narrative for people outside the region, portraying voters as having enthusiastically exercised their franchise".

He alleged that the police and TDP cadres worked together to keep thousands of ruling party workers at polling stations, intimidate voters, prevent polling agents from entering, tear up agent forms and assault them.

"Can this be called polling? Can this be called an election? Our cadre need not be disheartened. Those who committed such atrocities will be taught a lesson democratically, and that day is not far," Reddy said.

The TDP rebutted YSRCP allegations and said after several years, enabled by the NDA government, democratic voting was held in Pulivendula.

In a post on 'X', the ruling party claimed that whenever elections were held in Pulivendula, opponents were allegedly restrained from even filing nominations.

"In case polling was inevitable, people were not allowed to vote," said TDP, over the alleged fate of elections at Pulivendula in the past 30 years. PTI STH KH