Police fire in air as Kadapa election clashes escalate (Img: X)
New Delhi: Clashes between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) broke out at several locations across Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district on Saturday, the second day of the nomination process for local body elections.
In Pulivendula, the home constituency of former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, police fired six rounds into the air after a large group of YSRCP activists allegedly attempted to force their way into a nomination centre. The police also resorted to a lathicharge to control the situation.
According to reports, trouble began when police asked YSRCP candidates and their supporters to wait before entering the nomination centre, as TDP candidates and their supporters were already inside.
The situation deteriorated following a heated exchange between the police and the YSRCP group. When the candidates and their supporters allegedly tried to enter the centre in large numbers, police fired six rounds into the air and used batons to disperse the crowd.
The incident occurred amid heightened political tensions during the nomination process, with clashes also reported at several other locations across the district.
Confrontations between TDP and YSRCP workers were reported at nomination centres in Kadapa, Mydukur and Rayachoti.
At Kagithalapenta and Gandhi Nagar, workers from both parties allegedly engaged in stone-pelting, leaving several TDP and YSRCP activists injured.
A similar clash broke out at the Mydukur municipal office on Saturday, adding to concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation during the nomination phase.
Kadapa district Superintendent of Police Shelke Nachiket Vishwanath rushed additional police personnel to violence-affected areas, including Pulivendula and Mydukur, in an effort to restore order and prevent further clashes.
As a precautionary measure, several YSRCP leaders were placed under house arrest. Those detained at their residences included former Deputy Chief Minister SB Amzath Basha and former Kamalapuram MLA Ravindranath Reddy, among others.
The police response came as tensions continued at multiple locations, with authorities seeking to contain the violence and maintain order during the election process.
Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and his son, Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh, of instigating attacks against YSRCP candidates.
Reddy alleged that the incidents were intended to create fear among Opposition members and force them to withdraw from the local body elections.
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The allegations came as clashes between workers of the two parties disrupted the nomination process at several centres. There was no response from Naidu or Lokesh included in the information provided.
With police deploying additional personnel in the affected areas, the situation remained tense as authorities worked to prevent further confrontations during the ongoing nomination process.
