Alleging an organised violence against its supporters, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has appealed to President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday, June 6, requesting their intervention in upholding law and order in Andhra Pradesh. YSRCP MP S Niranjan Reddy claimed in a letter to the President that their supporters are being attacked following their defeat in the recent elections.
The party has sent similar letters to Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer and Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta seeking their intervention.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Janasena Party (JSP), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance defeated the former ruling party YSRCP in the state elections, which secured a mere 11 seats. With 164 out of 175 assembly seats, the alliance swept the elections with a massive majority and set to form the government.
The YSRCP said that several violent incidents targeting its supporters were reported after the results were declared on June 4. While the party did not mention any party for their involvement behind the attacks in the letter, the party’s official social media accounts claimed that TDP and JSP supporters were responsible for vandalising public buildings like Rythu Bharosa centres and Village Secretariats. Images claiming attacks on the residences of local party activists and the destruction of their possessions were also circulated.
In one of the videos posted on social media platform X, a stone plaque in Nagari Constituency that had pictures of the party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and former YSRCP MLA and minister Roja was destroyed. In a similar incident, a stone plaque on an under construction flyover with names of former MP Margani Bharat and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was also destroyed.
On Friday, TDP supporters attacked former MLA Kodali Nani's residence in Gudivada, Krishna district, with eggs.
"The volume and intensity of these attacks have only increased in the past 24 hours. These acts of aggression are not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated effort to intimidate and displace YSRCP sympathisers, particularly those from vulnerable groups such as the SC, ST, BC, and other minority communities, including women and children,” Nirajan Reddy said in his letter. He claimed that local law enforcement agencies have failed to take action and urged the authorities to take immediate and serious attention to the issue.
The attacks are seen as a vindictive action by the TDP. In 2019, a month after coming to power, the YSRCP government demolished Praja Vedika, an extension to the then Chief Minister's residence on the banks of the Krishna River. This property, used by Naidu for official purposes and party meetings, was targeted despite his request to declare it as the residence annexe of the Leader of Opposition citing violations of the River Conservancy Act, 1884. While Naidu was on holiday abroad with his family, the government decided to take over Praja Vedika, and demolish the structure. Several activists protesting the demolition were also detained.