Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President YS Sharmila on Saturday took a dig at Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ahead of the Congress protest in Vijayawada against alleged "vote chori". She alleged heavy police deployment around party offices and her residence.

In a post on X addressed to the Chief Minister, Sharmila said, "Good Morning, CM garu! Hope you managed to get some sleep last night! Or were you busy counting Congress workers getting ready to protest against vote chori at Vijaywada today? Policemen reportedly deployed in large numbers around the Congress Party office, at city junctions, and near my Vijayawada residence!” 

Sharmila added, "Relax! We are the Congress Party. We believe in democracy, not intimidation. We believe in people's power, not police power. When the government fears the Opposition more than it trusts the people, you know something is seriously wrong! So, CM garu... who's losing sleep here?" Her remarks come after Congress workers and opposition members attempted to march and register their protest at Vijayawada, while security forces intervened, detaining protestors on the spot.

Condemning the police action, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Gidugu Rudra Raju said, "On behalf of the INDIA alliance partners, we are doing a demonstration at the Vijayawada Lenin Centre. We were peacefully demonstrating. The police high-handedly arrested us, and they are taking us away. We demand the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. There should be only ballot elections."

Earlier on Saturday, Congress leader Balmoor Venkat claimed that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) staged opportunistic protests in response to the growing momentum of the Congress-led demonstrations in the national capital. The INDIA bloc protests led by the Congress party seek the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Speaking to ANI, Venkat noted that Congress workers have been protesting in Delhi for the past four days under the direct leadership of party leader Rahul Gandhi to demand Kumar's resignation. On Saturday, security forces detained several demonstrators, including content creators, at Dhaula Kuan, the day of the planned Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in the national capital.

Widespread detentions, intensive vehicle checks and multi-agency deployments were reported across key entry points to prevent demonstrators from reaching the designated protest site. At Dhaula Kuan, security forces erected heavy barricades and deployed spike strips, while female police personnel were also present to conduct thorough vehicle inspections.

Delhi Police detained around 500 people who arrived in different groups from various locations ahead of the planned protest in the national capital, while nearly 50 people with criminal antecedents were also apprehended as part of preventive measures, officials said.

"Around 500 people coming in different groups from various locations have been detained. In addition, nearly 50 anti-social elements with criminal antecedents have been picked up so that they do not disturb the atmosphere or incite trouble," Delhi Police said. As part of the security arrangements, the New Delhi district has been divided into 20 operational zones, with dedicated detention centres established for each zone, police said.

"The New Delhi district has been divided into 20 zones, and dedicated detention centres have been set up for each zone. Stadiums across the national capital have also been converted into temporary detention centres," the police added.

Demonstrators were also detained after gathering at Jantar Mantar and Sansad Marg amid tight security and extensive barricading across the national capital. Security personnel have been deployed at multiple locations as CJP activists remain firm on their call to protest against the Election Commission. Entry points to the national capital have been placed under heightened security, while 46 Metro stations remain closed, according to the details provided.

The security measures have been put in place to prevent any untoward incident during the demonstration, with police seeking to avoid a recurrence of the July 20 protests. Unlike the arrangements made during the INDIA bloc protest, police teams have been authorised to carry lathis and batons. In view of alleged attempts to record and circulate videos portraying police personnel in a negative light, teams have been instructed to avoid verbal confrontations with protesters.

Those detained are to be taken to six designated centres: Chhatrasal Stadium, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Yamuna Sports Complex, Surajmal Stadium, the Community Centre in Daulatpur and the Community Centre in Pandrawal. (ANI)