Andhra: YSRCP MP Avinash Reddy, TDP leader Ram Gopal Reddy taken into custody during Pulivendula ZPTC bypolls

KADAPA(Andhra Pradesh): As voters in Pulivendula queued up on Tuesday at polling stations in Andhra’s Kadapa district to exercise their franchise in the ZPTC bye elections, the Kadapa Lok Sabha MP Avinash Reddy among others from YSRCP were taken into preventive custody by police.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP condemned the “atrocious act” of the police, alleging that he, along with others, were placed under house arrest without any prior notice or valid reason, while hundreds of TDP supporters had entered Pulivendula without facing any action.

#WATCH | YSR Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy says, “Chandrababu Naidu has shown his true colours today. Pulivendula is a very small mandal with only 10,000 votes. Today, a by-election for Pulivendula was held. Thousands of TDP supporters flooded into… pic.twitter.com/7sw0tU7BNI

— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2025

The MP alleged that the police were acting like TDP goons, targeting YSRCP leaders and workers instead of maintaining law and order. He pointed out that YSRCP polling agents were attacked, and over a hundred TDP members, armed with sticks and rods, were seen waiting to target them.

Reddy claimed that such actions exposed the bias of the police and the political interference aimed at disrupting a free and fair election atmosphere in Pulivendula.

“Chandrababu Naidu has shown his true colours today. Pulivendula is a very small mandal with only 10,000 votes. Today, a by-election for Pulivendula was held. Thousands of TDP supporters flooded into Pulivendula with outright support of the police and prevented polling agents from entering the polling booths. They have threatened the voters, taken the voter slips and gone inside and cast duplicate votes. In fact, just now I have read the names… So this is the modus operanda of the TDP…” Avinash Reddy said.

Avinash Reddy and other leaders had taken out a protest rally in Yerraguntla against the TDP-led State government over alleged malpractices in the ZPTC election.

While speaking, the Kadapa Lok Sabha MP said that a ZPTC re-election in Pulivendula should be conducted with the deployment of central forces, not state police forces, as the latter have colluded with the government.

YSRCP State general secretary SV Satish Reddy was also among those who were placed under house arrest by the Pulivendula police today.

“… Police and authorities are encouraging the ruling party members to ransack the houses of the opposition parties. TDP gundas have been allowed freely to go near the polling stations. They have not allowed the YSRCP agents to go inside the polling booth… This atmosphere has arisen to satisfy the egos and desires of Nara Lokesh. This Chandrababu Naidu government is like a Dhritarashtra government led by Duryodhana… They are stopping the rightful persons from going to vote. They’re ransacking the houses of the polling agents…” Satish Reddy said.

Telugu Desam Party leader Ram Gopal Reddy was also placed under house arrest amid the Pulivendula polls. The TDP MLC questioned the police on the grounds for his arrest, stating that he has no objection to being placed under house arrest. He clarified that he had not made any objections and would not visit villages where elections are being held. Condemning the Election Commission’s approach, he said arresting TDP leaders is not right.
The TDP MLC was shifted to the police station.

Meanwhile, Kadapa District Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar said that 15 sensitive polling stations had been identified, and security was enhanced at those locations. He added that leaders who belong to other areas were house arrested and shifted to some other areas till the completion of the elections…”

The Pulivendula zilla parishad territorial constituency (ZPTC) bye polls were necessitated after the death of YSRCP leader T Maheshwar Reddy. The YSRCP has fielded his son Hemanth Reddy, while the TDP has fielded Latha Reddy, and the Congress has fielded Shiva Kalyan Reddy.

Pulivendula ZPTC candidate Hemanth Reddy stated that, with the support of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and YS Avinash Reddy, he was given the opportunity to contest in the ZPTC elections. However, he said the current situation is against the law. “We are unable to cast our votes, and we are being threatened. Even our polling agents have faced intimidation. As per norms, there should be restrictions around polling stations, but here the situation is completely different. TDP goons from other districts and mandals have gathered here and are threatening voters,” Hemanth Reddy alleged.

A ZPTC bye-poll was also conducted in Vontimitta of the Kadapa district today. The election was necessitated after YSRCP’s Akepati Amarnath Reddy resigned after winning the Rajampet Assembly election in 2024. TDP’s Muddu Krishna Reddy, YSRCP’s Iragamreddy Subbareddy and Congress’ Vijay Bhaskar are among those contesting the poll. (ANI)