Election Violence Persists in Southern Andhra Pradesh as Nominations Continue

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.