Naidu accuses Jagan of using violence and court petitions to sabotage Andhra Pradesh local elections

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and YSR Congress Party leaders are deliberately using violence and frivolous court petitions to derail the state's local body elections. Naidu said the government is giving full cooperation to the State Election Commission to ensure a fair and peaceful poll. He added that Jagan is encouraging physical attacks on candidates while filing multiple petitions on trivial grounds, even though timely elections are needed for central funds to flow to local bodies. The chief minister described Jagan's approach as a 'hit and run' tactic meant to create a crisis and leave the government to cope with it. Naidu claimed the YSRCP's actions show a criminal mindset that has become synonymous with destruction in politics and within the party chief's family. Speaking at his camp office on Saturday, Oct 24, 2026, he said law‑and‑order problems used to come from outside forces but now arise from parties inside the state, citing recent clashes sparked by the YSRCP. He recalled that during the YSRCP's own rule, the State Election Commissioner feared for his life and asked for protection after serious disputes with the government. Naidu expressed confidence that the TDP‑JSP‑BJP alliance will defeat the YSRCP in the upcoming local body polls and warned that the violence could damage Andhra Pradesh's image. He also noted Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao's remarks that Rayalaseema lacks culture and is known for violent clashes, calling the comments unfortunate but worth considering. ## Context The dispute highlights how political parties can influence local elections through intimidation and legal maneuvers, a pattern seen in several Indian states during contested polls.