GUNTUR: Workers and leaders, including candidates of both the ruling TDP and Opposition YSRCP got injured as clashes erupted in Palnadu during polling on Thursday. The voters of Narasaraopet, Gurazala and Macherla Assembly constituencies witnessed ruckus at Yellamanda, Uppalapadu, Durgi, Dachepalli mandals in Guntur district despite police intervening to cool tempers between workers and leaders of both the ruling and Opposition parties.
Narasaraopet’s sitting MLA and YSR Congress aspirant Dr G Srinivas Reddy, Gurazala YSRC candidate Kasu Mahesh Reddy, TDP candidate of Narasaraopet Dr Ch Aravind were injured in separate clashes that took place at different places.
The TDP leaders allegedly forcibly entered the polling booths and reportedly pulled out the YSRC agents at Yellamanda village in Narasaraopet Assembly segment. Hence, MLA Srinivasa Reddy reached the polling booth to protect the agents with the support of the police but the TP activists carried out an attack on the sitting MLA, who is seeking re-election and he got injured in the process. His left hand got hurt. He alleged that the TDP activists carried out an attack on him and also on a cameraman accompanying him and he too got injured in the attack and his mobile phone was snatched from him and evidence was forcibly deleted. They got hurt in spite of the policemen present trying to protect both him and the cameraman.
The YSRC activists carried out a retaliatory attack at the polling booths at Uppalapadu and dragged out the TDP agents.
TDP candidate Dr Ch Arvinda Babu reached the spot to protect the agents but the YSRC leaders carried out an attack on him and he suffered injuries on his right hand. TDP workers and candidate Arvinda Babu then staged a protest, demanding re-polling at Uppalapadu, but the YSRC leaders argued with TDP leader and workers, who then left the village along with his supporters.