TIRUPATI : Tension prevailed in Tirupati as cadres of the ruling YSRC and Opposition TDP clashed outside the Revenue Divisional Officer’s (RDO) office in Tirupati on Thursday when candidates of both parties arrived one after the other to file their nomination papers to contest from Chandragiri Assembly constituency.
Chaos ensued when workers of both parties started pelting stones at each other. Police personnel intervened to disperse the clashing groups and restore order.
While the YSRC has fielded Chevireddy Mohith Reddy, son of two-time Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, the TDP has nominated Pulivarthi Nani.
The contenders arrived at the RDO office simultaneously, accompanied by large groups of party activists, despite restrictions on large gatherings near the nomination venue.
According to eyewitnesses, Nani arrived on a motorcycle just as Mohith and his father were leaving from the RDO office. Clashes reportedly erupted when Bhaskar Reddy’s car was allegedly blocked by TDP workers, leading to stone pelting between the two sides.
Later, Mohith Reddy accused TDP workers of orchestrating violence to deceive the public. He stated that YSRC does not engage in such tactics to disrupt peaceful elections.
Dismissing the allegations, Nani charged the YSRC workers with attempting to obstruct him from filing his nomination. He asserted that the TDP activists will continue to strive for his victory without fearing the conspiracies by Bhaskar Reddy.
Internal strife worsens in Sullurpeta
In another instance, internal rivalry within the ruling YSRC in the Sullurpeta segment came to the fore when two leaders clashed in front of sitting MLA Kiliveti Sanjeevaiah during his election rally in Sullurpeta town.
The incident occurred when Sanjeevaiah arrived in Sullurupeta to file his nomination papers. As he was travelling in his campaign vehicle, local leader Kalathuru Shekhar Reddy boarded the vehicle and demanded Nellore District Cooperative Central Bank (NDCCB) chairman Kamireddy Satyanarayana Reddy to step down. Tensions flared as Shekhar Reddy confronted Satyanarayana Reddy.
A two-time MLA, Sanjeevaiah is vying for a hat-trick victory in Sullurpeta. Recently, internal rivalry in the constituency has become a worrying factor for the ruling party.
Satyanarayna Reddy has been accused of alienating key party leaders. Pointing out past differences between Satyanarayana Reddy and Sanjeevaiah, party workers and the public are questioning whether the NDCCB chairman is actually loyal to the party or acting out of personal vendetta.