Initially, YSRCP leaders like as Gurajala mla Kasu Mahesh reddy attempted to justify the mla, claiming that he did it out of rage over the TDP's manipulating of votes at the Palwaigate polling station since the morning of May 13.
Mahesh reddy even claimed that tdp operatives had driven the YSRCP agents away from the voting booth, which enraged Pinnelli.
On thursday, Ambati leveled yet another accusation, stating that the election commission (EC) conspired with the tdp to release the footage showing Pinnelli smashing the EVM to the media. He requested that the rigged tapes be made public as well.
By making these claims, the YSRCP leaders effectively verified that Pinnelli had destroyed the EVM.
However, by thursday evening, YSRCP officials had reversed their attitude, claiming that the video had been manipulated and that Pinnelli was being involved in a bogus case.
"How can the ec order his detention based on a video uploaded by Lokesh? It may even be a mutated one," Pinnelli's lawyer claimed in the high court while requesting anticipatory release for the legislator.
He noted that the police had filed a report alleging that some unknown individuals had damaged the EVM.
"It was only after the tdp brought out the video that the police included Pinnelli's name in the case without even giving him an opportunity to explain his stand," the attorney stated.
It remains to be seen if the YSRCP leaders would maintain this attitude or change their position again.
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