AP Polls Marred by Violent Incidents, Many Injured

 Vijayawada: The simultaneous Assembly and Parliament elections in Andhra Pradesh on Monday were marred by clashes between the YSRC and Telugu Desam activists.

The clashes in several districts created tension and several partymen from rival sides were injured before the police could intervene and restore order. The polling started on a smooth note but disputes and clashes occurred in faction prone areas including the Palnadu region.

Tension prevailed in Rentala in Macherla constituency and Gurajala of Palandu district following clashes between the TD and YSRC activists. The rival sides used stones and sticks to target their opponents. Some persons were injured.

Taking a serious view of the situation, the Election Commission directed the CEO, Mukesh Kumar Meena, to rush additional forces to Rentala and other places in Palnadu and ensure the smooth elections.

The clashes were mainly registered in polling booths in Palnadu region and Tenali and Macherla constituencies during the voting.

In Macharla, Veldurthi and Loyapalli of Palnadu, assaults were reported outside the polling stations. A young voter in Nizampatnam of Bapatla was injured following a dispute with the YSRC leaders. Sattenapalli, Mokkapadu, Rayvaram and Acchampeta also reported clashes and injuries to many.

The atmosphere was more tense in Gurzala, where TD leader Nellore Ramakotiah was attacked by the YSRC members. Kurnool and Prakasam districts saw similar incidents. YSRC men were accused of violence, intimidation and even kidnapping tactics.

TD workers attacked the car of YSRC chief agent Umesh, the son-in-law of minister Ambati Rambabu ,while observing the poll process in Narnepadu of Muppallla mandal.

In the Mustabada of Gannavaram Assembly segment, stone-pelting by the YSRC and TD supporters damaged the cars of leaders of the two parties. In Pullampeta in Annamayya district, unidentified miscreants entered the polling booths and damaged the EVMs.

Tension prevailed for some time in Botlapalem village of Darsi Assembly constituency in Prakasam district, when two groups of voters clashed. The EVMs were damaged. Election officials arranged alternative EVMs and restored the polling process in a short time.

The Praksam district election officer Dinesh Kumar ordered action against those responsible for the incident. Central armed forces were deployed to prevent further trouble.

Tension prevailed for some time in Annuru village of Karvetinagaram in Chittoor district, when followers of deputy CM Narayana Swamy and TD Assembly candidate Thomas clashed. Similarly, the TD and YSRC activists clashed at Gokarnapalle in Pondur mandal of Amudalavalasa Assembly constituency and two persons were injured. They were shifted to Srikakulam RIMS hospital for treatment and additional forces were deployed.

According to the reports, the reason for the clash was that Tamineni Vani, wife of YSRC candidate Tamineni Sitaram, entered the polling booth as a general agent. TD members objected to this at Gokarnapalle.

Three polling agents of TD were allegedly kidnapped by the YSRC men in Borakamanda village of Saddum mandal of Punganoor Assembly constituency on Monday morning, even before elections commenced.

The police traced them in Pileru and brought them back to Borakamanda. They registered a case based on the complaint lodged by TD district in-charge Jagan Mohan Raju.

More incidents of election-related violence included an attack on TD’s Lok Sabha candidate Lavu Krishnadevarayulu and his supporters in Dondapadu village of Palnadu district, in which three cars were damaged due to stone-pelting.

In Ananthapur district's Tadipatri, YSRC and TD activists engaged in a stone-pelting scuffle, resulting in injuries to a TD supporter and a constable.

In a separate incident, approximately 150 people stormed the Vemuluri Venkataratnam College polling booth in Mylavaram constituency. Both YSRC and TD candidates blamed each other for the irregularities and violence.