The Lok Sabha and Assembly elections held in Andhra Pradesh on Monday witnessed violence in various parts of the State. The poll violence was significant compared to the 2019 general elections, with both the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the opposition parties accusing each other of resorting to violence.
The TDP accused the ruling YSRCP of kidnapping its poll agents, while the YSRCP alleged that the TDP was resorting to violence and disruptions in the voting process.
YSRCP’s Tenali Assembly candidate Annabattuni Siva Kumar was captured on a video slapping a voter who reportedly protested when the former jumped the queue to cast his vote. The voter then retaliated, slapping the MLA. This enraged the YSRCP cadre accompanying the MLA who were seen on the video beating the voter black and blue. The Election Commission of India (ECI), taking serious view of the incident, ordered the police to place the MLA under house arrest until polling time was over.
In Kuppam Assembly constituency, it was reported that polling was stopped for half an hour following an altercation between the YSRCP and TDP workers.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were allegedly destroyed at a polling station at Dalwai in Railway Koduru Assembly constituency in Annamayya district and in Macherla Assembly constituency in Palnadu district. Officials stopped polling for some time. Police officials reached the spot and took stock of the situation.
Sympathisers of rival parties attacked each other in Om Shanti Nagar in Tadipatri Assembly constituency in Anantapur district. In Gannavaram Assembly constituency, sympathisers of both ruling and Opposition parties attacked each other even while their leaders were present in their vehicles.
There were reports that a few people, including polling agents, suffered injuries following the attack by opponents. Some of them suffered head injuries in Amudalavasala (Srikakulam constituency), Pullur (Mydukur), Papappagaripalle (Annamaya), Macherla, Chinna Guruvulur in Chapadu mandal in YSR Kadapa district.
Published - May 14, 2024 06:18 am IST
