TDP, YSRCP clash during Andhra poll nominations; police fire 6 rounds in Jagan’s turf

TIRUPATI: After Punganur, violent clashes erupted between the TDP and the YSRCP at multiple places across Kadapa district on the second day of the nominations filing phase on Saturday.

At former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s home constituency Pulivendula, Police had to open six rounds of fire in the air when the YSRCP activists tried to storm into the nominations filing centre in large numbers on Saturday. Trouble reportedly broke out when the police personnel on ground asked the YSRCP nominees and their supporters to wait for a few minutes to be allowed into the nominations centre as the TDP nominees and their supporters were already inside.

However, when the YSRCP nominees and their supporters tried to storm into the nominations centre following a heated altercation with the police, the situation escalated and the on-ground cops opened six rounds of fire in the air besides resorting to lathicharge to contain the situation.

Meanwhile, clashes between the YSRCP and the TDP were also reported at several nomination centres at Kadapa, Mydukur and Rayachoti as well. The TDP and the YSRCP cadres were involved in fierce stone pelting acts at Kagithalapenta nomination centre and at Gandhi Nagar as well. Several TDP and YSRCP activists were injured in the incidents.

Similar clashes also erupted between the TDP and the YSRCP at the Mydukur municipal office on Saturday. District SP Shelke Nachiket Vishwanath rushed in additional police enforcements to the violence affected areas including Pulivendula and Mydukur to contain the deteriorating law and order situation.

Several YSRCP leaders including former Deputy Chief minister SB Amzath Basha, former Kamalapuram MLA Ravindranath Reddy and others were placed under house arrest as a precautionary measure. Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy accused Chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and his son and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh of instigating attacks on the YSRCP nominees in an attempt to create a fear psychosis in the opposition to withdraw from the local bodies elections.