Polling passed off peacefully in the by-elections conducted at Rajampet, Rayachoti and Railway Kodur (SC) Assembly constituencies in Kadapa district on Tuesday, except for a few stray incidents and clashes between groups in some areas.
The turnout of voters, including women, was good since morning. Serpentine queues were seen in polling stations in Chitlur in Ramapuram mandal, Rayachoti, Rajampet and Kodur towns. Voters with EPIC, whose names did not figure in the voter lists, staged protests in NTR Colony at Rajampet and Thimmayapalle at Railway Kodur.
In Railway Kodur constituency, Congress and YSR Congress Party functionaries clashed in Jangidivaripalle resulting in a police lathi-charge and stoppage of polling for some time.
A group clashed occurred between two parties in K.S. Agraharam.
Congressmen allegedly pelted stones at YSRCP functionaries at S. Upparapalli in Chitvel mandal resulting in injuries to two persons, who were rushed to the primary health centre.
Officials stopped polling for some time after Congressmen allegedly assaulted a YSRCP agent and activists at Yerrcheruvupalli in Rajampet constituency.
Earlier, Congress candidate Meda Venkata Mallikarjuna Reddy cast his vote at Yerracheruvupalli. Former MLA and YSRCP candidate A. Amarnatha Reddy picked up an argument with policemen alleging that several party activists were arrested at will. YSRCP members alleged that the police beat up its activists who were taking food for polling agents in Akepadu village.
Congress and TDP activists clashed at Gollapalle and Congress functionaries allegedly pelted stones at the house of a Telugu Desam Party activist, Sasi Naik, in Lakkireddipalle.
Police placed former Lakkireddipalle MLA R. Ramesh Kumar Reddy, former Sambepalle mandal president Mallu Narasa Reddy and ZPTC member Upendranath Reddy under house arrest.
District Collector V. Anil Kumar, SP Manish Kumar Sinha and Election Observers monitored the polling process.
