Parties spat over ‘motives’ of fielding independents in Tirupati MLA race

Tirupati: The high-stakes Tirupati assembly election has been embroiled in an acrimonious dispute, with the YSRC and the Jana Sena ‘smelling a rat’ over the presence of as high as 30 Independents in the poll fray.

In all, the constituency has 46 candidates, the highest so far for any assembly constituency in AP. This raised suspicion in rival camps. Both the YSRC and JS alleged that a game was being played on them. The aim, it is alleged, is to increase the number of polling agents in each booth to adversely affect the rival side.

YSRC's sitting MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has accused JSP candidate Arani Srinivasulu of “fielding” most independents, as these candidates hailed from Srinivasulu's hometown in Chittoor district. “In effect, they would act as his polling agents.”

Bhumana has urged the Election Commission to ensure that only local voters from within the Tirupati assembly segment are appointed as polling agents and no outsider is allowed to work at the booths on election day.

However, the JS rubbished such charges and said around 26 independents are locals from Tirupati city and surrounding areas. “It is in fact the YSRC that conspired to increase its own polling agents by bringing in independents, who could work for the party’s nominee Bhumana Abhinay,” the JS leaders said.

"Fearing defeat, Bhumana has fielded 26 independents from Tirupati to try and boost the YSRC's own polling agents,” alleged Srinivasulu.

Srinivasulu also alleged that the YSRC deliberately facilitated the nomination of one Aaluru Srinivasulu from Jathiya Jana Sena party and helped him secure a Pen Stand symbol similar to the JSP's poll symbol - glass tumbler. "This is a clear conspiracy by YSRC to create confusion among voters and dent our vote share," alleged the JSP candidate.