YSR Congress party led by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has been raising suspicion over the alleged electoral malpractices during the last year’s assembly elections in the state, leading to the massive victory of the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition.
Jagan and his party leaders alleged that there was a largescale manipulation of voters’ list before the 2024 assembly elections in the state.
But their arguments have always been feeble and they never made any attempt to turn their suspicion into a big public campaign.
The reason was obvious: If Jagan takes up the campaign against alleged bias by the Election Commission, he would antagonise the Bharatiya Janata Party national leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular.
Now, his sister and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y S Sharmila has decided to take up a state-wide signature campaign protesting against electoral malpractices in Andhra Pradesh, on the lines of her party’s agitation against alleged vote rigging in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Bihar.
Sharmila made this announcement on Monday, urging people to extend large-scale support to the campaign.
She said the APCC will collect signatures until October 15 against what it calls the "theft of votes."
Sharmila said that a nationwide struggle has become necessary to safeguard the voting rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.
She alleged that the Electoin Commission has become a captive in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, failing to conduct free and fair elections.
She also pointed out that in the last five years, over one crore new votes were added just months ahead of elections — a move she termed as blatant manipulation.
"Isn’t this vote theft?" she asked.
Sharmila alleged that genuine votes against the BJP were deliberately removed, while fake votes favouring the ruling party were inserted.
She said a nationwide movement is essential to protect democracy and the Constitution.
In a way, Sharmila indirectly endorsing Jagan’s suspicion that the TDP-led coalition came to power through manipulation of election process.
“Her campaign will help Jagan’s cause. Then, why can’t he come out in the open to support her?” an analyst asked.