Vijayawada: Three persons died in clashes between YSRC and TD workers in Rayalaseema during Thursday’s elections to 175 Assembly segments and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh. Clashes were also reported between the two main rivals in the the volatile Rayalaseema and Palnadu regions. There were incidents of EVM damage and stone pelting in many centres.
The voting percentage was put at 80, which will be revised on Friday. This is higher than the 78.4 per cent registered in 2014.
Polling was affected by about 400 EVMs malfunctioning across the state, and voting was expected to continue till midnight in Mangalagiri where minister and TD candidate Nara Lokesh, the son of AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, is contesting.
Long queues were witnessed at almost all the polling booths across the state as early as 7 am. Many of them were disappointed when EVMs did not function. Polling was delayed by three hours at some centres, forcing voters to suffer under the scorching sun.
Both TD and YSRC had approached CEO and accused each other of malpractices and rioting. TD has demanded repolling in 200 booths.
The YSRC said two of its activists were attacked with sickles by TD cadres and killed in Veerapuram of Tadipatri constituency in Anantapur. The TD said its activist Siddha Bhaskar Reddy was killed by YSRC cadres in Veerapuram.
The YSRC said its supporter B.R. Venkatrami Reddy of Thambalapalle of Chittoor district and Pulla Reddy died when they were hit on the chest with a stone during clashes.
A total of 3,93,45,717 voters were registered in the state, 1,94,62,339 male, 1,98,79,421 female and 3,957 transgenders. About 10.15 lakh are first-time voters in the age group 18-19.
Mr Naidu and his family cast their vote at a polling booth in Undavalli.
Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan reportedly broke the queue and voted in Patamata. YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his family voted in their family bastion Pulivendula in Kadapa district.
After casting the vote, Mr Reddy told the media that his appeal was vote without fear and vote for change. Asked about Income-Tax raids, he said unaccounted money was bound to invite action.
About the transfer for the DGP, he said the EC had not considered the YSRC’s genuine demand.
He said that in 2009, the TD had complained to the Election Commission to change the DGP and the EC has conceded the demand and shifted the DGP in undivided AP. “In the same spirit of democracy we have complained but the EC did not respond,” he said.
Mr Kalyan said about 10 per cent of EVMs did not function across the state and it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair poll without any confusion.
