VIJAYAWADA: The nomination filing procedure for the first phase of Panchayat Raj elections concluded on Sunday with a large number of aspirants for sarpanch and ward member posts filing their papers. The first phase of elections will be held on February 9 for several panchayats under 18 revenue divisions of 12 districts, except Vizianagaram.
State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar expressed happiness over the high number of nominations filed on the last day. Individual incidents of violence were reported from Chittoor and Srikakulam districts. There were also reports intimidation and snatching of nomination papers at a few places.
Tension prevailed at Nimmada, the native village of TDP state chief Kinjarapu Atchennaidu following a clash between the YSRC and the TDP activists. YSRC-backed Kinjarpau Appanna who went to a centre to file his papers, along with Tekkali party in-charge Duvvada Srinivas and a few others, was allegedly obstructed by some TDP activists.
Police intervened and dispersed the mob, and facilitated the aspirant to file his nomination. Condemning the incident, YSRCP leaders later staged a sit-in. At Gollagunta in East Godavari, S Srinvas Reddy, husband of a sarpanch candidate was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday evening allegedly by the supporters of the ruling party. He was bound and abandoned in a forest area, but was rescued by the police the next morning.