TDP, Jana Sena remind him of his backing for EVMs

Vijayawada: In a strong counter to former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s call for using ballot papers, the TDP and its ally Jana Sena Party reminded him of his statement defending Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) when his party had won 151 Assembly seats in 2019.

Senior TDP leader Somireddy Chandra Mohan Reddy said that Jagan Mohan Reddy has not recovered from the shock. “Jagan is talking like Andhra Pradesh Elon Musk,” taunted the TDP leader in a post on ‘X’.

Elon Musk recently called for eliminating EVMs, triggering a fresh debate in political circles.

Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday called for using ballot papers in the country to uphold the true spirit of democracy. TDP, which in alliance with the Jana Sena and BJP, wrested power from YSRCP in the recent elections, was quick to react. It posted on ‘X’ a video of Jagan Mohan Reddy’s reaction when TDP had raised doubts about EVMs after the polling in the 2019 elections.

The TDP recalled that Jagan after winning 151 seats (in the 175-member Assembly) had said that EVMs worked perfectly but now after his party is reduced to just 11 seats he is alleging that the EVMs were tampered with.

Chandra Mohan Reddy said for Jagan Mohan Reddy EVMs were great when he won but now after the defeat, he is blaming EVMs.

The former ministers said the YSRCP leader should recall what he had said after winning the 2019 elections.

The video was also shared by Jana Sena from its official ‘X’ handle. In the video, Jagan Mohan Reddy was heard defending the functioning of EVMs. He says that all 80 per cent of voters who cast their votes were satisfied and none of them lodged any complaint. He slams TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu saying he was mocking democracy when people had given a clear mandate against him.

TDP leader and former MLC Buddha Venkanna, in a post on ‘X’ dared Jagan Mohan Reddy to go for repoll in his Pulivendula constituency in paper ballot mode.