Just two hours after polling began in Andhra Pradesh’s municipal and corporation elections, several areas were already reporting tension, clashes and complaints of irregularities. From Pulivendula to Macherla, Madanapalle and Sattенapalle, the morning has been far from smooth.
In Palnadu district, police placed several YSRCP leaders under house arrest, including former Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, former minister Vidadala Rajini in Chilakaluripet and former Vinukonda MLA Bolla Brahma Naidu. Some other party leaders were bound over and taken to police stations.
Pulivendula has emerged as one of the most tense centres. At the 27th ward polling booth near Satram School, YSRCP alleged that TDP agents snatched a ballot slip from an elderly woman. Near Saraswathi Vidya Mandir, YSRCP workers alleged that TDP leaders pelted stones at them, leaving some party workers injured. There were also reports of an alleged attack on YSRCP candidate YS Pramila while she was heading to the polling station in the 21st ward. Complaints of voters being stopped from casting their votes and voter slips being taken away were reported from several wards, including 1, 2, 8, 9 and 10. Tension was also reported near polling stations 11 and 12.
In Madanapalle, YSRCP municipal chairperson candidate Venkatachalapathi staged a protest on the road, alleging that party polling agents were not being allowed inside booths.
Vijayawada’s 55th division also witnessed a polling disruption after the symbols of the YSRCP and Congress candidates were interchanged on ballot papers. Polling at Old Rajarajeswaripeta was delayed by around two hours while officials arranged corrected ballot papers.
In Sattenapalle’s 19th ward, TDP and YSRCP workers clashed, with a TDP booth agent reportedly attacked.
Meanwhile, former intelligence chief AB Venkateswara Rao, after casting his vote in Vijayawada, described the polling atmosphere as peaceful compared with previous elections.
These incidents point to the challenges facing election authorities in keeping polling peaceful and ensuring that every voter can cast a ballot without pressure. House arrests, booth-level disputes, allegations of violence and ballot paper errors have all surfaced within the first two hours. The immediate priority must be to investigate each complaint, prevent further clashes and ensure that voters are not intimidated or prevented from exercising their right.
