Sporadic incidents of minor violence were witnessed during the ZPTC and MPTC elections in Anantapur district on Thursday as the voter turnout remained low at 58.07%. Polling was held for 62 ZPTC and 782 MPTC seats in the district and of the total 22,83,065 voters, only 13,25,748 people exercised their franchise.
The polling in the Kurnool district, however, remained peaceful, with a poll percentage of 60.28%. Elections were held for 36 ZPTC and 484 MPTC seats.
At Regatipalli village in Dharmavaram Assembly Constituency, some YSR Congress Party workers allegedly attacked Jana Sena Party’s State political committee member Chilakam Madhusudhan Reddy’s house in the afternoon and damaged the windshield of his car. Jana Sena Party Rayalaseema affairs in-charge Nadendla Manohar, in a statement, condemned the attack and alleged that the YSRCP workers threatened Mr. Madhusudhan Reddy’s wife Chayadevi.
TDP workers ‘threatened’
The Telugu Desam Party alleged that their party candidate’s agents were forcibly sent out of the polling booths, and Bharatiya Janata Party’s agent Narayanaswamy was allegedly manhandled at Venkatathimampuram village in Dharmavaram mandal.
At some places in Kanaganapalle mandal, the TDP polling agents were allegedly threatened and sent out of the polling booths, the party leaders alleged.
The polling began at a slower pace in the morning and not much enthusiasm was seen among the voters in the villages. After 1 p.m., a few people were seen at the polling booths. However, voters were seen standing in queues at pooling booths in the afternoon.
Anantapur Collector Gandham Chandrudu and Superintendent of Police B. Satya Yesu Babu visited several booths and supervised the pooling process.
Polls peaceful in Kurnool
In Kurnool district, 9,38,379 persons exercised their franchise with Allagadda mandal recording the highest percentage of 74.42, while Velugodu recorded the lowest of 40.94%, Collector G. Veerapandian said.
Elections were held for 36 ZPTC and 484 MPTC seats in the district. Superintendent of Police Fakkeerappa Kaginelli praised the police personnel for ensuring that there was no violence.