The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) traded allegations over clashes in Annamayya district on the first day of nominations for local body elections in Andhra Pradesh, with both sides accusing each other of provoking violence and disrupting the electoral process.
The confrontation occurred at Pullur in Punganur municipality, where Rajampet MP and YSRCP Lok Sabha floor leader PV Midhun Reddy alleged that hundreds of TDP supporters attacked his vehicle and security personnel with stones, sticks and iron rods. He claimed that several party workers and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured, some reportedly suffering fractures.
Reddy accused the ruling party of intimidating opposition candidates and obstructing nominations. He also criticised the police and State Election Commission for allegedly failing to prevent the violence.
The TDP rejected the allegations, claiming that Reddy arrived with a large convoy and that YSRCP supporters provoked its workers. TDP leaders alleged that a vehicle in the MP’s convoy was driven towards party workers and members of the public, injuring several people. They demanded an investigation and action against those responsible.
TDP leaders also cited alleged incidents of violence in Punganur, Rayachoti, Tirupati and Dharmavaram. TDP MLCs approached Election Commission authorities seeking action and adequate security during the election process.
YSRCP president and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the incident and spoke to Midhun Reddy to enquire about his safety. He accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s government of using intimidation and the police machinery against the opposition.
Jagan announced that his party would pursue legal and constitutional remedies and seek central paramilitary forces to ensure free and fair elections. YSRCP Tirupati MP Maddila Gurumoorthy also sought intervention from the President and Lok Sabha Speaker, demanding an impartial investigation and stronger security arrangements.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Amaravati, issued directions allowing candidates facing threats to seek an alternative nomination submission venue within the jurisdiction of the concerned Election Officer. The court stated that a candidate apprehending a threat could submit an application to the Election Officer requesting permission to file nomination papers at a place other than the notified centre. The officer must pass appropriate orders in accordance with law.
The court further directed that both the application and its disposal must comply with the election notification’s prescribed timelines.
The competing allegations have heightened political tensions as the local body election process gets underway, with security and uninterrupted access to nomination facilities emerging as key concerns.