YSRCP, TDP workers clash in Andhra Pradesh, two EVMs damaged

VIJAYAWADA: Polling in Andhra Pradesh began on a peaceful note with a large number of voters turning up early in the morning to exercise their franchise. Except for a few stray incidents of violence and heated arguments, there was no major law and order problem anywhere in the state. At two places – Guntur and Chittoor – EVMs were damaged in a clash between YSRCP and TDP workers. In Chittoor district, Jana Sena candidate damaged an EVM by hitting it on the ground.

Polling began at 7am on Thursday at 46,120 polling stations across Andhra Pradesh for 25 Lok Sabha and 175 state assembly constituencies. About 2,500 candidates are in the fray. Many places recorded above 15 per cent of votes in the first two hours of polling.



Chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, YSRCP president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, APCC president N Raghuveera Reddy, Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan and BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana cast their vote in the first hour of polling. Naidu was accompanied by his family members including son and IT minister Nara Lokesh to the polling booth at Undavalli in upcoming capital city Amaravati. Jagan went to the polling station at Pulivendula in Kadapa district with his mother Vijayamma.

There were reports of electronic voting machines (EVMs) not working at about 100 places and chief electoral officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi said technicians were deputed to rectify the defect. Naidu lodged a complaint with the Election Commission on the malfunction of EVMs and demanded that a repoll be held at these places. He alleged that 30 per cent EVMs did not work. Naidu batted for introduction of paper ballots to ensure that there is no “tampering” of the votes polled.

Many voters complained of missing names and first time voters had turned up in large numbers. AP has 3.9 crore voters. A large number of them are first time voters. Men, women and elderly turned up at polling stations. In view of the severe summer conditions, the EC has made arrangements for drinking water and set up shamiyanas for shelter. It advised voters to avoid direct sunlight, drink lot of water and cast votes early.

Polling in Rayalaseema and Palnadu region was marred by tension. There were stray incidents of attacks between TDP and YSRCP workers. A few people including minister B Akhila Priya’s husband Bhargav and sister Mounika were injured in a clash at Ahobilam under Allagadda constituency.

Reports of violence have come in from Anantapur, Kurnool, Chittoor, Kadapa, Vizianagaram and Guntur districts.