The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner has issued orders to Tadipatri MLA Kethireddy Peddareddy to refrain from campaigning for the local body elections for one day, due to a violation of the election code of conduct which was in place. The MLA from YSRCP has been banned from campaigning on March 15.
According to a statement from the State Election Commission, complaints had been received which claimed that on March 8, Peddareddy had distributed sarees and clothes in the Tadipatri municipality limits. After an inquiry carried out by election commission officials in order to verify the claims, the MLA was prosecuted for violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which came into place across the state on March 7. As a result, Peddireddy has been banned from campaigning for one day.
A tense atmosphere prevailed across the state as the nominations for the local body polls were filed. According to reports, police prevented tensions from escalating between TDP and YSRCP members in Tadipatri. In Tadipatri, like several other locations across the state, the TDP has alleged that YSRCP workers had obstructed TDP candidates from filing their nominations.
Tadipatri will also witness an interesting contest between TDP and YSRCP. Former Tadipatri MLA from TDP, JC Prabhakar Reddy will reportedly be contesting for a councillor post from the same ward as the YSRCP MLA’s son, Kethireddy Harshavardhan Reddy.
Several incidents of clashes between YSRCP and TDP workers have been reported from various places across the state, including Guntur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Prakasam districts. While TDP, as well as BJP-Jana Sena Party, have alleged that YSRCP workers had tried to stop rival candidates from filing their nominations through force and violence, the YSRCP has refuted these allegations.
Elections to 652 zilla parishad territorial constituencies (ZPTCs) and 9,696 mandal parishad territorial constituencies (MPTC) are set to be held on March 21, for which the results will be declared on March 24.
Elections to municipalities and municipal corporations are set to be held on March 23. These results will be declared on March 27. Gram panchayat elections will be held on March 27 and 29.