A day after polling for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state, sporadic incidents of violence continued on Tuesday at several places Andhra Pradesh with clashes taking place between TDP and YSRCP supporters repeatedly.
Polling was held simultaneously for 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats. Fuelled by political soaring tensions between the arch rivals, unrest continued in the state for the second day.
Yesterday, despite the high voter turnout, polling was marred by clashes, vandalism, throwing of crude petrol bombs and even stabbing. Today, followers of YSRCP leader Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy allegedly attacked NDA’s MLA candidate of Chandragiri constituency, Pulivarthy Nani with glass beer bottles, hammers and stones when the latter visited the strongroom at Padmavati Women’s University in Tirupati.
Nani’s personal security officer was also attacked and he fired his gun in the air. Nani was injured in the attack and admitted to SVIMS for treatment. TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu said, “I strongly condemn the attack by YSRCP goons on Chandragiri constituency’s NDA candidate Pulivarthy Nani in Tirupati. If there were 150 YSRCP rowdies with knives and rods at Padmavati Mahila University where the strongroom is located what about the protection of the EVMs kept there?”
Naidu lashed out at the police accusing the force of failure to protect the people and the Opposition. “I request the Election Commission, DGP and SP to take immediate action,” he said.
The YSRCP also blamed the police for failing to maintain law and order.
In Tadipatri, there was stone pelting between TDP and YSRCP workers which left the local circle inspector injured. When local TDP leader JC Prabhakar Reddy marched with hundreds of activists police stopped them and used tear gas to disperse the TDP supporters. A car belonging to TDP workers was set on fire and the party office was allegedly vandalised by YSRCP activists at Karampudi under Gurjala constituency in Palnadu district in AP.
In Telangana, BRS candidate of Nagarkurnool RS Praveen complained that his party’s councillor Balraju’s residence was attacked by ruling party goons in Acchampeta town.