People in rural areas turned up in good numbers to cast their vote in the first phase of ZPTC and MPTC elections in Nellore district. The elections were held in 21 mandals in this phase.
The authorities have taken steps for ensuring free and fair elections with additional bandobast measures taken in some villages which are identified as sensitive villages.
At Yellayapalem, there was a little interruption caused by some voters who arrived in an inebriated condition. The police officials tried to control the trouble-causing persons and in the process heated arguments ensued between them and the police. After a little later, they polling process resumed as usual.
The police authorities clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the IPC in the sensitive villages. Chinnagampalli, Pabbuletipalli, Polangarithota, Basinenipalli and other villages in Seetharampuram mandal were placed under prohibitory orders on security considerations.
At Kovur and Kodavalur, queues were witnessed at the polling stations with men and women voters turning up in considerable numbers.
YSRC-TDP activists clash in Kadapa
Kadapa Special Correspondent adds: Polling in ZPTC and MPTC elections in 29 mandals in Mydukur, Rajampet, Railway Kodur, Badvel and Rayachoti Assembly constituencies in Kadapa district, to elect 29 ZPTC members and 326 MPTC members, passed off peacefully.
YSR Congress and Telugu Desam Party activists clashed at some places and about six persons sustained injuries. Polling percentage was 38.22 per cent by 11 a.m. and went up to 70.82 per cent by 3 p.m.
Polling was stopped for about 15 minutes by officials in Rajupalem in Kalasapadu mandal on Sunday afternoon when a YSR Congress activist Peddinti Bhaskar Reddy, 25, was injured in clashes between YSRC and TDP members. Polling resumed after police rushed to the place and restored normalcy.
Police resorted to mild caning to disperse YSRC and TDP functionaries in Annavaram in Rayachoti mandal and brought the situation under control. YSRC and TDP activists clashed in Rangasamudram in Porumamilla mandal and Vedururu in Chapadu mandal.
Five persons were injured when YSRC and TDP sympathisers pelted stones at each other in Chenchaiahgaripalle in Brahmamgari Matham mandal. In clashes between YSRC and TDP members in Chinnasingannapalle in Duvvur mandal, three persons suffered injuries.
Police arrested former APIIC director Chandrasekhar Reddy in Lakkireddipalle when he was moving about as he was not a voter of that area. TDP leaders complained that their agent was driven away from the polling station at Suddamalla.
One hundred and forty four candidates are in fray for 29 ZPTC seats and 1,055 candidates are in contest for 326 MPTC seats. Two MPTC members were elected unopposed in Chapadu and one each in Railway Kodur, Obulapuram, Ramapuram and Tsundupalle mandals.
Polls peaceful in Madanapalle division Chittoor Staff Reporter writes: Barring sporadic incidents of tension and minor clashes between supporters of contesting candidates, the Zilla and Mandal Parishad elections went off peacefully in the first phase in Madanapalle division on Sunday.
In all 31 ZPTCs and 445 MPTCs went for polls. By 3.00 p.m., the officials recorded 69.69% of voting. In Kuppam, the police resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse a mob of villagers at DK Palle when they resorted to a protest alleging missing of votes.
At Somala mandal, YSRC and TDP men clashed, in which one person was injured. Tension prevailed at Kummaragunta village of Punganur mandal when the police quelled the supporters of former Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy when they allegedly tried to enter a booth.
In Palamaner, the police took two youth into custody, when they were carrying ink bottles and moving suspiciously at a polling centre. In Madanapalle, Tamballapalle constituencies, polling was peaceful with no untoward incident being reported anywhere.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed at Bommayagaripalle village of Rompicharla mandal on Saturday midnight when a group of TDP workers attacked a YSRC activist Ramana, who is spouse of the party’s MPTC candidate there. Ramana received fractures in the leg and a head injury. The Rompicharla police arrested the accused on Sunday morning, and shifted the injured person to SVRR Hospital in Tirupati.
In Piler constituency, which is considered highly sensitive, the police deployed additional forces to prevent any eventuality. This constituency is known for bitter rivalry between the Jai Samaikhyandra party chief N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and former Minister-turned-YSRC force in district, Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy.
Despite tight vigilance to check the flow of liquor and cash, the parishad elections in the division witnessed the reverse. The political parties in fray resorted to distribution of cash in almost all villages.
