Tirupati: The simultaneous assembly and parliament elections in the erstwhile Chittoor and Nellore districts on Monday witnessed sporadic incidents of violence and disruptions, despite a good voter turnout.
The elections turned into an arena of intense political rivalry, with numerous clashes erupting between supporters of the YSRC and the Telugu Desam (TD)-Jana Sena-BJP alliance.
Tensions ran high throughout the day, with physical altercations and heated confrontations reported from multiple constituencies. In Mandi Krishnapuram village under the Gudipala mandal of Chittoor assembly constituency, YSRC polling agent Suresh Reddy and TD agent Chandra clashed outside a polling station. Chandra attacked Suresh with a knife, causing a bleeding wound, police said.
Tension escalated in Brahmana Kaluva under Chandragiri constituency. Central forces fired shots into the air to disperse rival groups. Supporters of TD allegedly attacked a YSRC agent at Naravaripalle, the native village of TD chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, within the Chandragiri constituency.
In Karveti Nagaram, tension flared as TD activists blocked YSRC’s GD Nellore assembly candidate K Krupa Lakshmi from accessing a polling booth, resulting in heated exchanges.
Krupa Lakshmi’s brandishing of her footwear escalated the conflict.
Similarly, in Chittoor city’s Mittur area, the simultaneous arrival of former MLA and TD’s general agent CK Babu and YSRC’s candidate Vijayananda Reddy at a polling booth ignited a dispute. Joint collector and returning officer Srinivasulu intervened to restore calm.
Gudur YSRC candidate Meruga Murali was blocked from entering a booth by TD leaders in Chillakuru mandal, sparking clashes and TD candidate Pasam Sunil Kumar rallied his supporters. With a significant presence of TD supporters, the situation turned tense, prompting the need for heightened security measures.
In Chejerla mandal of Nellore district, cadres of TD and YSRC fought near a polling booth, prompting a mild lathicharge. Sudden rains in Timmareddypalli and Udayagiri disrupted voting as voters scattered and polling materials were reportedly drenched.
Despite these incidents, the polling process were overall peaceful, with enthusiastic voters turning up in large numbers from the morning to cast their votes. Tirupati district’s voter turnout stood at 73.76 per cent by 8pm. However, the Tirupati assembly segment’s percentage was rather disappointing, at 61.33. Its neighboring constituency Srikalahasti reported 76.44, followed by Chandragiri 75.70, Gudur 73.11, Satyavedu 80.69, Sullurpeta 75.98 and Venkatagiri 75.25 per cent by 8pm.
Chittoor district witnessed a 75.67 per cent voter turnout by 5pm. The seven assembly constituencies under the district recorded voter percentages as follows – Punganur 74.09, Nagari 76.81, G.D. Nellore 79.90, Chittoor 74.75, Puthalapattu 77.17, Palamaner 72.33, and Kuppam 75.79.
Nellore district recorded a 69.95 percent polling by 5pm. The constituency-wise breakdown is as follows: Kandukur 74.68, Kavali 67.12, Atmakur 67.21, Kovur 73.59, Nellore City 67.60, Nellore Rural 64.35, Udayagiri 72.69, Sarvepalli 72.90.
