TIRUPATI/KADAPA/ANANTAPUR/KURNOOL/ONGOLE: There is no let-up in the violence on the second day of filing nominations for the ZPTC and MPTC elections in southern Andhra Pradesh, with tense situations continuing in Tirupati, Chittoor, Annamayya, Anantapur and Kurnool districts as well as some part of the erstwhile Prakasam district.
During a clash between two rival factions within the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at Nandaluru in Kadapa district, a TDP activist reportedly opened fire into the air, escalating local panic, a car being torched, two motorcycles damaged and TDP spokesperson Meda Vijayasekhar Reddy sustaining injuries before police used a lathi-charge.
Meanwhile, similar volatile conditions were reported in other parts of the region, alongside confrontations between YSRCP cadre and police forces in Bestavaripeta of Markapuram district.
The nomination process kicked off across the erstwhile Anantapur district — covering Sri Sathya Sai’s 397 MPTC and 32 ZPTC seats, alongside Anantapur’s 450 MPTC and 31 ZPTC seats — under a cloud of heavy political friction.
YSRCP leaders alleged widespread obstruction and the tearing of papers across Raptadu, Atmakur, Chennekothapalli and Anantapur Rural mandals.
In Yellanur mandal, Vengala Rayudu and his son were reportedly attacked while seeking a No-Objection Certificate at the Tahsildar’s office while in Palya Thanda of Pamidi mandal, a clash broke out resulting in a YSRCP worker being stabbed, though local reports suggested a prior personal dispute.
Uravakonda coordinator Y Visweswar Reddy also alleged a candidate’s husband was briefly abducted and in Penukonda, former minister Ushasri Charan staged a protest after opposition candidates were blocked from filing papers, though the TDP secured a higher volume of filings overall on day one.
Across Chittoor and Kadapa, police clamped down heavily to prevent further escalation, placing Tirupati MP Maddila Gurumoorthy, MLC Sipai Subramanyam, and Chandragiri MLA Pulivarthi Nani under house arrest, alongside former MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy’s family in Thummalagunta.
In Kadapa, MP YS Avinash Reddy was taken into custody near the YSRCP district office and shifted to Pulivendula, while Badvel MLA Dr Dasari Sudha and other party leaders were detained and moved to the Atlur police station.
District Collector Sumit Kumar and SP Tushar Dudi rushed to GD Nellore as mob violence spiralled, prompting the SP to personally order a lathi-charge after two YSRCP motorcycles were torched, while stone-pelting and violent brawls also broke out in Chowdepalli, Krishnagiri, where a police constable and 20 others were injured, Yerragondapalem, and Kanigiri, where police resorted to a light lathi-charge after agitated YSRCP leaders attempted to attack officers.
In Bestavaripeta, fresh nomination papers were accepted under heavy police escort after original documents were destroyed by rivals.
In Tirupati when Subhadra, a resident of Chiguruwada, registered her candidature as an independent by paying her total deposit amount of Rs 6,000 in one-rupee coins — a symbolic protest funded by individual village contributions to highlight the total neglect of basic civic issues by major parties.