TDP, YSRCP cadres clash at several places during Andhra local body nominations

TDP and YSRCP cadres clashed at several places in Andhra Pradesh during local body nominations, with reports of stone-pelting, assaults and damage to vehicles. Police intervened in multiple locations as opposition workers alleged they were prevented from filing nominations

Amaravati: Cadres and leaders of the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) clashed at several places in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday as candidates went to file nominations for local body elections.

At Punganur in Tirupati district, tension prevailed during the filing of nominations for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) elections, as groups from both parties allegedly attacked each other with stones and sticks, according to PTI Videos.

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The groups wielded sticks and bricks as police struggled to control the situation in Punganur.

At the Chittoor Zilla Parishad office, a car belonging to YSRCP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayana Swamy was allegedly attacked by TDP cadres, who broke its windowpanes. The nomination papers of a ZPTC candidate were also allegedly torn up.

Violence broke out in Kadapa during the ZPTC nomination process, with YSRCP and TDP supporters hurling stones and beer bottles at each other.

Police resorted to a lathi charge in Kadapa to bring the situation under control.

YSRCP cadres sat on the road and raised slogans, alleging that they had been denied permission to file nominations. Their protest disrupted traffic for nearly 30 minutes.

Police rushed to the spot and intervened. They later escorted the protesting YSRCP cadres to their party office, following which tensions gradually subsided and normalcy was restored.

According to PTI Videos, a large number of YSRCP cadres raised slogans in Railway Kodur, alleging that they had not been allowed to file their nomination papers for the local body elections.

At Narasaraopet in Palnadu district, police put in place a three-tier security arrangement and allowed only four people, including the candidate, to enter for filing a ZPTC nomination, according to PTI Videos.

At Rompicherla in the same district, a heated argument broke out between YSRCP cadres and police during the MPTC nomination process.

Police resorted to a lathi charge, prompting opposition cadres to protest, raise slogans and stage a sit-in.

At Srikalahasti in Tirupati district, former YSRCP gram panchayat president Gudluru Venkata Ramanaidu was allegedly dragged out of his car and assaulted by TDP cadres.

He was travelling to the residence of Unnam Vasu Naidu, the YSRCP in-charge for Thottambedu mandal, when TDP cadres allegedly intercepted him, according to PTI Videos.

The TDP leaders allegedly vandalised his car and assaulted him, PTI Videos reported.