Andhra Pradesh records 40.26 per cent voter turnout in LS, Assembly polls at 1 pm

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), May 13 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh recorded 40.26 per cent voter turnout for the 25 Lok Sabha seats while it was the same for the 175-seat Assembly at 1 pm in the state, an Election Commission app said on Monday.

YSRCP leader and Tenali MLA A Shiva Kumar allegedly manhandled a voter at Tenali following an argument with voters, which also resulted in the voter retaliating in a similar fashion, according to police.

Polling began at 7 am in the state and will go on till 6 pm, barring a few places where it will conclude one or two hours earlier.

Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu along with their respective family members, were among the early voters in Andhra Pradesh today.

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y S Sharmila cast her vote at Idupulupaya, preceded by a visit to her father and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy’s grave.

At Edulagudem village in Eluru’s Agiripalli mandal, 104-year-old voter J Venkata Ratnam exercised his franchise.

The TDP and YSRCP traded violence allegations against each other’s supporters and cadres at multiple locations in the state, especially in Palnadu, Kadapa and Annamayya districts. TDP alleged that YSRCP activists damaged three vehicles belonging to its Narasaraopeta Lok Sabha candidate L Sri Krishna Devarayalu.

Appealing to the poll body to rein in the people responsible for the attack, Devarayalu told reporters that he is prepared to lodge a case over this incident and also insisted for repolling at Dondapadu polling booth.

At Dalavaipalli village in Railway Kodur constituency, an EVM was destroyed. Cars belonging to the ruling party and TDP were damaged, said a police official.

A TDP agent was attacked at Nakkaladinne village in Myduruku constituency, leading to his hospitalisation.

The YSRCP alleged that party agent Suresh Reddy was stabbed at Mandi Krishnapuram village in Chittoor’s Gudipala mandal.

TDP activists allegedly damaged the vehicle of senior YSRCP leader Nandigam Suresh, YSRCP said in a statement.

Further, it alleged that TDP supporters attacked party member B Anji Reddy at Aravallipadu in Darsi constituency, resulting in a head injury.

Meanwhile, TDP supremo and opposition leader Naidu alleged that there was “no peaceful atmosphere in the state for people to exercise their franchise”.

“I severely condemn the violence happening during polling since morning. YSRCP is implementing its plots in a concerted manner. Local police officials utterly failed in averting violence in Macherla constituency,” he said in a post on ‘X’.

Further, he claimed that officials failing to proactively respond to opposition plaints is not correct, calling for the upholding of law and order in Macherla and the Election Commission’s attention on this development. Meanwhile, TDP MLC Mohammed Ahmed Shariff wrote a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena, complaining about alleged attacks by YSRCP cadres on TDP supporters at Rentala village in Rentichintala mandal of Palnadu district.

TDP MLC P Anuradha wrote to the CEO alleging IVRS calls being made in the name of YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy and leader V Rajini.

She claimed it was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The YSRCP is contesting in all 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha segments in the state.

As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while the BJP is contesting from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.Actor Pawan Kalyan-led Janasena is contesting two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats.