Jagan Reddy Pushes For Paper Ballot After Haryana Election; Andhra CM Calls Ex-CM ‘Another Escobar’

In a sharp response, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu dismissed Jagan's statement, comparing him to notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Jagan Mohan Reddy argued that a return to paper ballots would bolster public confidence in the democratic process.

Source : Special arrangement

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy reignited the debate over the use of ballot papers following the recent Haryana Assembly election results. Taking to social media platform X, Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed concerns over the current electronic voting system and pitched for ballot like other developed nations. He argued that a return to paper ballots would bolster public confidence in the democratic process.

It may be noted that earlier many exit polls and political analysts predicted that the Congress would perform better in Haryana.

Taking to X, Jagan on Wednesday stated, "Yet another election result confounds popular perception. Haryana election result is no different from Andhra Pradesh, on which cases are pending in courts. In a democracy like ours, Democracy should not only be prevalent but also be seen to be thriving. Only way to ensure both, is going back to Paper Ballot."

He emphasized that many developed nations, such as the USA, UK, and Germany, still use paper ballots, and that India should follow suit to enhance voter trust. "It is time we make changes with rest of the world and move towards Paper Ballot, which in turn would enhance the confidence of the electorate," he said.

Yet another election result confounds popular perception. Haryana election result is no different from Andhra Pradesh, on which cases are pending in courts. In a democracy like ours, Democracy should not only be prevalent but also be seen to be thriving. Only way to ensure both,…

— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) October 9, 2024

In a sharp response, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu dismissed Jagan's statement, comparing him to notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Naidu remarked, “In the present circumstances, he is another Escobar. He is talking nonsense. During his rule, people were fed up and frustrated... there was no happiness, no satisfaction, everyone was living in fear.”

Naidu also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJP's electoral performance in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, crediting the victory to Modi’s leadership. He said, "I congratulate PM Narendra Modi for the historic electoral victory in Haryana... Whenever a credible leader performs well, people support him. This is what happened in Haryana."