TDP chief blames YSRCP for bomb scare and voter intimidation ahead of ZPTC, MPTC polls

Palla Srinivasa Rao, the TDP’s state president and Gajuwaka MLA, said the YSR Congress Party resorted to a bomb threat near a polling booth in Pulivendula to sway the upcoming ZPTC and MPTC elections. He told reporters at the party office that the incident shows the party’s intent to win the local body contests by fear. Rao linked the move to frustration felt by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy after his party suffered a heavy loss in recent urban local body elections. He claimed the low turnout recorded in Kadapa – blamed on YSRCP conspiracies – was a direct result of the intimidation. State‑wide voter participation averaged about 22 percent, while Anantapur, Chittoor and Kurnool districts saw 30, 33 and 30 percent respectively. Rao said voters did turn out in many places but were met with threats meant to drive them away. He also accused Jagan Mohan Reddy and Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy of breaking election rules in the urban polls. According to Rao, overt violence was limited to Pulivendula and Punganur, but the pattern could repeat in the ZPTC and MPTC races if the YSRCP feels threatened by a possible defeat. He urged the chief minister to respect the electorate’s decision and stop creating chaos for political gain.

Context

ZPTC and MPTC elections decide representatives for village‑level and mandal‑level councils, which influence local development. The recent urban local body vote saw the ruling party lose ground, raising stakes for the next round of local elections.