AP gets ready for counting day

Vijayawada/ Nellore:  All eyes are now on June 4, the day when counting takes place. Political parties and leaders are keeping their fingers crossed. There appears to be more anxiety among the political parties over the law and order situation on the day of counting more than who would win and who would lose.

The Election Commission of India, which had taken the post poll violence in Palnadu, Anantapur and Chittoor district between May 13 and 15 as serious aberration, has issued clear instructions to the state administration and the police to ensure that no untoward incident takes place not only on the day of counting but also for next 15 days after counting. The EC has also sent over 20 additional companies to the state to ensure peace. Police officials and the central forces have been holding mock drills to prevent any kind of violence and take instant measures to see that law and order does not slip out of hand.

The police department, which had come under severe criticism following the post-poll violence and the alleged destruction of EVM by Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, is taking measures to prevent such incidents on the day of counting. DGP has appointed 56 special officers to ensure maintenance of law and order in the sensitive Assembly constituencies of Palnadu districts which witnessed large scale violence. Still the administration has so far not been able to create confidence among the people that counting would be a smooth affair.

In Atmakuru, Udayagiri, Sarvepalle, Kovuru and Kavali constituencies in Nellore district there is fear and panic among the people. In the villages in these districts people cutting across caste, religion and political affiliations used to sit in village centres and discuss about the development of the village and how to get funds. This was the situation till the poll notification was issued.

But now the atmosphere here is tense and there are apprehensions that peace may get disturbed. “We do not know what will happen next minute. Such is the situation said 70-year-old Kuvvarapu Penchalaiah of Prabhagiri Patnam village of Podalakuru mandal Sarvepalle constituency.

People recall that during the electioneering two groups in Nagulavellaturu village of Chejerla mandal Atmakuru constituency attacked each other. In another incident both YSRCP and TDP activists were injured in the group clashes in Sarvepalle assembly segment. “We have witnessed 10 elections but never seen such violence,” some villagers said.