YS Sharmila Says 16 Municipalities, 639 Wards’ Unanimous Wins Do Not Reflect Public Support

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila has questioned the growing number of unopposed victories in the state’s local body elections, alleging that they reflect the misuse of official power rather than genuine public support for the ruling alliance. She expressed concern over candidates being elected unopposed in 16 municipalities, 639 wards, four ZPTC seats and 32 MPTC seats, raising questions about the fairness of the electoral process.

Sharmila accused the ruling alliance of undermining democratic principles and alleged that the State Election Commission was functioning in favour of the ruling parties. She claimed that the police machinery was being used to serve political interests, while opposition candidates were allegedly facing intimidation and pressure during the nomination process.

According to the APCC chief, incidents involving the tearing of nomination papers and acts of violence were weakening the democratic process. She argued that elections must provide a fair opportunity for all candidates to contest, rather than allow victories through coercion or intimidation.

Referring to the allegations of similar practices during the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government, Sharmila questioned why the present ruling alliance was following the same path. She maintained that alleged irregularities committed by previous governments could not justify repeating such actions.

She also challenged the ruling alliance to explain why it was relying on unopposed victories instead of allowing candidates to compete in a free and fair election. Questioning the government's confidence in its public support, she asked why such methods were necessary if the alliance enjoyed genuine acceptance among voters.

Sharmila rejected the portrayal of unopposed victories as evidence of a political wave in favour of the ruling alliance. Instead, she argued that the results raised concerns about the state of democratic competition and the ruling parties' approach to electoral contests.

The APCC president called on the State Election Commission to intervene immediately and investigate the circumstances surrounding the unopposed victories. She demanded appropriate action against alleged coercion, along with the suspension of the relevant results until a thorough inquiry was completed.

Emphasising the need for an impartial electoral process, Sharmila urged the commission to protect the rights of candidates and voters. She said the election authority must ensure that local body elections are conducted transparently and that democratic participation is not compromised by intimidation or the misuse of official machinery.