Twelve municipalities in Andhra Pradesh, including Kuppam, as well as the Nellore Municipal Corporation, went to polls on November 15, Monday. Tension prevailed in Nellore as well as Kuppam municipality, in Chittoor district’s Kuppam Assembly constituency represented by former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, as the opposition TDP staged a protest alleging that leaders of the ruling YSRCP were resorting to rigging. Both Nellore and Kuppam witnessed heated campaigns ahead of Monday’s elections. On Sunday, November 14, both parties’ workers were injured in clashes, The Hindu reported, after YSRCP workers accused TDP of distributing cash for votes.
Polling took place for Akiveedu municipality in West Godavari district, Jaggayyapet and Kondapalli in Krishna district, Dachepalli and Gurazala in Guntur district, Darsi in Prakasam district, Buchireddypalem in Nellore district, Kuppam in Chittoor district, Bethamcherla in Kurnool district, Kamalapuram and Rajampet in Kadapa district and and Penukonda in Anantapur district. Repolling, wherever necessary, will be held on Tuesday, November 16, while counting of votes will be taken up on Wednesday, November 17, State Election Commissioner Neelam Sawhney said.
నెల్లూరులో సాక్షాత్తు పోలీసులే కాపలాకాయగా వైసీపీ మంత్రి తమ్ముడు భారీగా రిగ్గింగ్ కు పాల్పడటంతో విషయం తెలిసి అక్కడకు వచ్చిన తెలుగుదేశం నేత కోటంరెడ్డి శ్రీనివాసులురెడ్డి పోలీసులను గట్టిగా నిలదీశారు.(1/2) pic.twitter.com/BsTD7tmuyl
— Telugu Desam Party (TDP Official) (@JaiTDP) November 15, 2021
కుప్పంలోని 16వ వార్డులో ఉన్న విజయవాణి విద్యాసంస్థల భవనాల్లో వైసీపీ దాచిపెట్టిన ఫేక్ ఓటర్లను కుప్పం ప్రజలు కనిపెట్టి నిలదీశారు. వారంతా బి.కొత్తకోట నుంచి వచ్చిన వారని తేలింది. దీనిపై ప్రశ్నించిన మీడియా పై కాలేజీ యాజమాన్యం పోలీసుల సమక్షంలోనే దురుసుగా ప్రవర్తించింది. pic.twitter.com/P725oxsAyB
— Telugu Desam Party (TDP Official) (@JaiTDP) November 15, 2021
The poll body announced that the election of the Mayor and two Deputy Mayors of Nellore Municipal Corporation and Chairpersons of 12 municipalities will be held on November 22. The SEC had issued a notification on November 1 for polling to these municipalities and also for sarpanches and ward members in gram panchayats.
Polling was not conducted in these places with the rest of the local bodies for a variety of reasons including the death of contesting candidates. Polling for 36 sarpanches and 68 ward members was held peacefully on Sunday, November 14.
At one of the polling booths, TDP leaders caught hold of some non-locals and handed them over to the police. TDP General Secretary Lokesh alleged that the YSRCP has brought outsiders for bogus voting. He said the ruling party was afraid of defeat. Lokesh slammed the role of the police and alleged that they failed to check electoral malpractices.
With IANS inputs