Former CM and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the incident and described the episode as a “brutal murder of democracy”.
Published Jan 06, 2026 | 1:29 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 06, 2026 | 1:29 PM
Screengrab from the incident. Credit: x.com/ysjagan
Synopsis: A by-election for Vinjamuru Mandal Parishad President in Nellore district sparked row as YSRCP alleged violence, intimidation, and malpractice by TDP supporters. Despite YSRCP’s claimed majority, an independent backed by TDP won. Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the incident as a “murder of democracy,” accusing misuse of police. The episode deepens political tensions, with YSRCP urging SEC intervention.
A by-election for the Mandal Parishad President (MPP) post in Vinjamuru Mandal of SPSR Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh has triggered a political storm, with the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) alleging violence, intimidation and large-scale electoral malpractice.
The election was held on Monday, 5 January at the Mandal Development Officer’s office. A candidate backed by the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition emerged victorious. The winner was an independent supported by TDP. The result, however, is being fiercely contested by YSRCP.
YSRCP alleged that its elected representatives were forcibly prevented from voting. Party leaders claimed that five YSRCP Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) members were intercepted while on their way to the polling venue. They alleged that TDP supporters attacked the group on the road.
According to them, a woman MPTC member, Ratnamma, sustained bleeding injuries in the attack. The party further claimed that one of its members was kidnapped. Another, it alleged, was illegally detained by the police during the voting process.
The Opposition also accused TDP supporters of creating chaos at the MDO’s office. It claimed that police and election officials failed to act and allowed the election to proceed amid intimidation. YSRCP leaders alleged that officials acted as mute spectators while the polling was “forcibly completed”.
The party maintained that it held a clear majority in the mandal, with eight MPTC members. By allegedly preventing several members from voting, the ruling party manipulated the outcome.
Former CM and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the incident in a post on X. He described the episode as a “brutal murder of democracy”. He accused the TDP-led government, headed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, of reducing elections to a show of force.
Even in a small MPP election, the way democracy is being brutally murdered exposes the extreme high-handedness of the TDP and the dangerous nature of the coalition government led by @ncbn, who has reduced elections to a show of force instead of a democratic process.
In Udayagiri… pic.twitter.com/aVzxEkRijx
— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) January 5, 2026
Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged misuse of the police machinery and said such tactics had become routine under the present administration. He claimed Andhra Pradesh was being pushed into a “lawless jungle raj”. Reddy also pointed to similar allegations during a recent local by-election in Bommanahal Mandal of Rayadurgam constituency.
TDP celebrated the Vinjamuru victory, calling it a sign of public support in the region. However, there was no immediate official response from party leaders addressing the specific allegations raised by YSRCP.
The incident has intensified political tensions in the State. Since the TDP-led alliance returned to power in 2024 in Andhra Pradesh, local body polls have repeatedly seen charges of violence and intimidation. YSRCP has consistently alleged police bias under the present government. It has urged the State Election Commission to intervene and ensure fair conduct of future elections.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
