Left parties are holding protests across Visakhapatnam demanding removal of CEC

CPI(M) leaders and members burnt effigies of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during a protest against special intensive revision of electoral rolls near Maddilapalem town in Visakhapatnam on Friday. | Photo credit: IN PARADISE

Communist Party of India (Marxist) activists on Friday called a rally from the party’s district office in Pithapuram Colony to the National Highway in Maddilapalem, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and withdrawal of the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls.

CPI(M) district secretariat members B. Gangarao and P. Mani alleged that Mr. Gyanesh Kumar was part of a “conspiracy” by the BJP and the RSS to wipe out the votes of those opposed to the ruling party. They said the Union Government had amended the Election Act in 2023 to suit it.

Earlier, CPI(M) workers took out a motorcycle rally from Ravindra Nagar in Ward 13 of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation in the morning. RKSV district secretariat member Kumar claimed that around 13 lakh votes were deleted across the country. Criticizing Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for their “silence”, he said the Left parties had called for nationwide protests on October 10.

At Purna Market on Spring Road, CPI(M) leader Y. Raju led workers, including porters, in burning effigies of the Chief Election Commissioner. Jagadamba Zone Convener M. Subba Rao was present.

In ward 77 of Malkapuram zone, CPI(M) activists burnt portraits of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar. District Secretary M. Jaggu Naidu and Zonal Secretary P. Pydiraju were present.

In the evening, CPI and CPI(M) jointly protested at Kommadi Junction in Madhurawada. CPI leader M. Pydiraju and Mr. RKSV Kumar claimed that about 50,000 voters were wiped out in Andhra Pradesh. Similar protests were held in Arilova and Pendurthi.

In Kancharapalem, CPI District Assistant Secretary P. Chandrasekhar sought a judicial inquiry into the conduct of the Chief Election Commissioner and restoration of deleted names. North Constituency Secretary Nagabhushana Rao was among those present.

Published – 9 Oct 2026 23:36 IST