Andhra Pradesh local body polls were disrupted by clashes between ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) cadres at several locations on Wednesday as candidates arrived to file nominations, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. Police used lathi charges at some spots, imposed security restrictions at nomination centres and intervened after roads were blocked by protests.
At Punganuru in Tirupati district, groups associated with the two parties allegedly attacked each other with stones, sticks and bricks during the filing of nominations for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) seats. The report said police struggled to control the situation.
A car belonging to YSRCP leader and former deputy chief minister Narayana Swamy was allegedly attacked at the Chittoor Zilla Parishad Office. The vehicle’s window panes were broken, while nomination papers belonging to a ZPTC election candidate were reportedly torn up.
Violence was also reported in Kadapa during the ZPTC nomination process, where YSRCP and TDP supporters allegedly threw stones and beer bottles at each other. Police resorted to a lathi charge to bring the situation under control. YSRCP cadres later sat on the road and raised slogans over what they alleged was the denial of permission to file nominations, causing a traffic disruption of nearly 30 minutes. Police escorted the protesters to their party office, after which the tension gradually subsided, the report said.
In Railway Kodur, a large number of YSRCP cadres reportedly raised slogans alleging that they had not been allowed to file nomination papers. At Narasaraopeta in Palnadu district, police arranged three-tier security at the nomination centre and permitted only four people, including the candidate, to enter for the ZPTC filing process.
A confrontation between YSRCP cadres and police was reported at Rompicherla in Palnadu during the MPTC nomination procedure. Police used a lathi charge after a heated argument, prompting opposition cadres to protest, raise slogans and stage a sit-in.
Further allegations of physical attacks emerged from Srikalahasti in Tirupati district and Macherla. At Srikalahasti, former YSRCP village panchayat president Gudluru Venkata Ramanaidu was allegedly dragged from his car and attacked by TDP cadres while travelling to the residence of YSRCP mandal in-charge Unnam Vasu Naidu. His car was also allegedly vandalised. In Macherla, TDP cadres allegedly attacked YSRCP candidates who had arrived at a mandal office and forcibly snatched nomination papers, obstructing the filing process.
The incidents occurred during the nomination stage of local body elections, when candidates must submit their papers at designated administrative offices. The report did not provide details of arrests, injuries, complaints registered or any official account from the two parties. Police intervention and security arrangements were continuing at the affected locations as the nomination process proceeded.
