Tight security for MLC elections in Kadapa

Anantapur: The political climate in Kadapa has become tense as a result of abductions and efforts made by both parties to lure voters in the Local Body Constituency. Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy staged a protest against the police, for their failure to trace the whereabouts of the son of an MPTC member from Porumamilla mandal headquarters. Muthuja Hussain, the 27-year-old son of MPTC member Gouse Peer, was abducted three days ago.

The police have registered a case against three TD leaders, based on a complaint made by family members of the absconding boy. Mr Gouse Peer, who was elected from TD, defected to YSRC a few days ago, when TD leaders began mounting pressure on him to vote for their party candidate in MLC polls. Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy accused Telugu Desam leaders of abducting Mr Murthuja Hussain.

On Wednesday, the MP staged a hunger fast, demanding that the police bring back the abducted youth. The police busted the MP's protest and shifted him to a police station. Mr Reddy lashed out at Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for encouraging abductions and terrorising YSRC party voters. With a difference of just 100 votes between the YSRC and TD parties among the MPTC, ZPTC and Municipal Councillors, the TD high command has targeted Jagan's home turf and has mounted pressure on its leaders to win the seat.

The two candidates contesting the seat are YSRC chief Jagan Mohan Reddy's uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, and TD-fielded B. Tech Ravi. Meanwhile, the CPI cadre lashed out at Telugu Desam candidate Batchala Pullaiah in the Teachers' Constituency, for distributing cash in exchange for votes in Anantapur. CPI leaders caught a group of persons handing out cash at a lodge in Anantapur. The police have tightened security in all parts of the region in light of the MLC polls.