MLC elections: Heavy turnout for polling in Anantapur

ANANTAPUR: Barring a few exceptions, the Kadapa MLC polls for local bodies went off peacefully in Kadapa district on Friday. A total of 99.80 per cent was reported from all three polling stations in the district. Only one voter was absent as against the total eligible voters of 840.In Rajampeta polling station, at the RDO office premises, all 133 voters cast their votes from the Rajampeta revenue division area. 307 voters from the Kadapa division cast their votes from a total of 308 voters. All 304 voters cast their votes from the Jammalamadugu division in Kadapa district.

In the wake of a tough fight between the YSRC and TD, Kadapa district was put under a security blanket during the MLC polls, with at least 3000 security personnel posted in the district.TD cadres stopped the YSRC district unit president Amaranath Reddy from entering the Rajampeta poling station. Normalcy was restored after the cops sent him away from the premises.

YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is an MLA from Pulivendula, cast his vote at a polling station established in Jammalamadugu, RDO office premises in Kadapa district. Speaking to the media, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy lashed out at the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for using cheap tricks in the MLC polls though his party had just a few supporters in all three districts, namely Nellore, Kadapa and Kurnool.

“It is a shameful day for democracy in the state, as the chief minister misused his power and even threatened opposition party voters to select TD candidates in the region”, he observed,  adding that there was no need of polls for local bodies for MLC seats because the YSRC had the  majority of voters by  its side. Both parties brought candidates to the polling stations directly from their camps to cast votes. Kadapa SP Mr. Ramakrishna said that additional security forces had been on the job to avoid untoward incidents in the district.

Kurnool records 99 per cent polling:

Polling for the MLC elections to local authority constituency in Kurnool district was marred by mild skirmishes at Adoni and Nandyal polling stations, while 99 per cent polling was registered at Adoni, Kurnool and Nandyal polling stations. TD candidate Shilpa Chakrapani Reddy and YSRC candidate Gowru Venkat Reddy exuded confidence that their strategies worked and were on winning path.

Faction atmosphere prevailed at various places in Kurnool district as TD and YSRC  parties activists argued with each other while the groups tried to divert the voters. Local authorities’ constituency MLC election was a prestige issue in the district on Friday.Seven votes were not polled due to various causes including political violence. According to sources, a TD and a YSRC activist did not cast their votes due to political pressures and three died, including Nandyal MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy.

Another two voters, one from Chagalamarri, another from Velgodu was disqualified because of police cases. TD and YSRC activists quarrelled at Ballari Chourasta in the district  headquarters and RDO office at Nandyal when they picked up their voters at the same time from nearby hotels where they stayed for group discussion. The police pacified the groups.

The two groups also reportedly had heated arguments at Adoni polling station. Because of this scuffle, tension prevailed at Adoni town for some time. Barring the above stray incidents the MLC elections polling in district was concluded peacefully, district collector Vijaya Mohan told mediapersons.