Nomination Day Tensions in Andhra: YSRCP Leaders Detained
Tensions rose across parts of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday as the YSR Congress Party reported widespread detentions of its leaders during the filing of nominations for MPTC and ZPTC elections.
Among those detained were Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy, former deputy chief minister Amjath Basha and MLC Ramachandra Reddy.
The party said violence, threats and attacks against its candidates and workers continued into the second day of nominations. It alleged that police began arresting and confining its senior leaders from early morning to stop them from participating.
District-wise reports
In Pulivendula, police reportedly surrounded Avinash Reddy's residence and tried to keep him inside, barring him from moving out to support candidates. Later, at the YSRCP office in Kadapa, police encircled the premises when he arrived, and party workers tried to block his arrest.
In Anantapur district, former MLA Kethireddy Peddha Reddy was placed under house arrest at his residence in Thimmapalli, Tadipatri mandal. The party said he was preparing to accompany candidates for nomination after alleged obstruction by TDP workers in Yellanur. Former minister Saake Sailajanath was confined in Singanamala, and former MLA Y. Venkatarami Reddy was also placed under house arrest in Anantapur, where police issued him notices related to the MPTC and ZPTC polls.
In Bapatla district, violence was reported in Nizampatnam under the Repalle assembly constituency. YSRCP alleged that TDP workers tore up its candidates' nomination papers, damaged a candidate's vehicle and attacked party leaders, leaving three YSRCP leaders injured. The party blamed minister Anagani Satya Prasad for instigating the attacks and accused the police of failing to prevent the violence or act against those responsible.
In Kuppam, the party called the arrest of leader Dandapani from Santipuram illegal. It said his family had not been informed of his whereabouts and demanded immediate disclosure of his location and the grounds for his detention.
In Palnadu district, several leaders were detained in Pedakurapadu to stop them from taking part in MPTC and ZPTC nominations. The party said police forcibly took MPTC candidate Bachcha away, and that several other leaders had also been detained the previous night.
In Macherla, former MLA Pinelli Ramakrishna Reddy was placed under house arrest, with heavy police deployment around his residence and iron barricades placed around the premises.