Vijayawada: Filing of nominations for MPTC and ZPTC elections in Andhra Pradesh began on a violent note Wednesday with attacks on candidates and leaders of the opposition YSR Congress Party, including Former Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayana Swamy.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) blamed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its allies in the ruling coalition for the attacks.
The opposition party alleged that violence, attacks and intimidation continued across the state.
YSRCP candidates and leaders faced physical attacks, destruction of nomination papers, police restrictions and illegal arrests in several constituencies. TDP and coalition leaders obstructed opposition candidates from filing nominations, while police failed to prevent the violence, it alleged.
Elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) are scheduled to be held November 3.
In Chittoor district, TDP cadres allegedly attacked former Deputy Chief Minister Narayana Swamy near the Zilla Parishad Chairman’s office when he arrived to facilitate the filing of a ZPTC nomination from Penumuru.
According to YSRCP, its leaders were injured in the attacks by TDP cadres in Chandragiri, Tirupati district.
Former MPTC member Madan Reddy and YSRCP supporters Ramu and Lokesh suffered serious head injuries and were shifted to a government hospital. The attacks took place in the presence of Pulivarthi Vineel, son of TDP MLA Pulivarthi Nani, according to YSRCP leaders. They also accused him of bringing outsiders from Tamil Nadu to create violence.
The opposition party alleged that police failed to prevent the attacks.
In Srikalahasti in Tirupati district, a two-wheeler belonging to a YSRCP supporter who arrived to participate in the nomination process was damaged and set on fire near the MPDO office. TDP leaders also allegedly threatened YSRCP candidates attempting to file nominations.
YSRCP alleged that Jana Sena MLA Arava Sridhar and Jana Sena leaders obstructed the filing of nominations in Railway Koduru in Tirupati district. The opposition party also alleged attack on its supporters.
Local YSRCP leaders confronted the police and demanded that all YSRCP candidates be allowed to file nominations.
Police placed former MLA Brahmanaidu under house arrest, preventing him from assisting YSRCP candidates during the nomination process in Narasaraopet in Palnadu district.
Police arrested YSRCP State Executive Council member and Macherla constituency observer Kommineni Venkateswarlu when he arrived to support candidates filing MPTC nominations in Piduguralla Mandal in Palnadu district.
TDP cadres allegedly attacked YSRCP candidates who arrived at the Mandal office to file MPTC nominations in Macherla in Palnadu district. The attackers forcibly snatched nomination papers from the candidates, obstructing the nomination process.
YSRCP said these incidents demonstrate the continuing obstruction faced by YSRCP candidates during the MPTC and ZPTC nomination process.
The opposition party demanded immediate protection for candidates, action against those responsible for violence and an end to police interference in the election process.
