Fear grips villages post-election

Nellore : There is a drastic change in the situation in villages in Nellore district before and after the general elections 2024. Before the release of election notification, people used to gather for any occasion, whether good or bad, used to meet others. But the scenario has changed after the notification and people were allegedly divided community-wise and party-wise.

During 2019 elections, there was no tense situation witnessed in villages since the ‘war’ was one-sided as YSRCP managed to get public attention and won all 10 Assembly segments including Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

But now, the circumstances are totally different as both YSRCP and TDP have taken winning the elections as prestigious and reportedly spent not less than Rs 200 crore in each constituency. The situation turned scarier as the candidates, after distributing money to voters, allegedly warned them to face dire consequences if they fail to vote for them. This created panic among villagers.

This type of situation is being witnessed especially in Atmakur, Udayagiri, Sarvepalli, Kovur and Kavali constituencies.

It may be recalled that during electioneering, two groups in Nagulavellaturu village of Chejerla mandal, Atmakur constituency, attacked each other.

In another incident, functionaries of both YSRCP and TDP were injured in group clashes that took place in Sarvepalli Assembly segment. In Udayagiri constituency, people reportedly migrated to other places after elections with fear of threats from candidates, contested.

"I saw 10 elections, but never experienced anything like 2024 elections. Villages are fuming with vengeance. Nobody knows what will happen in the next minute, " said a 70-year-old Kuvvarapu Penchalaiah of Prabhagiri Patnam village of Podalakuru mandal, Sarvepalli.

Meanwhile, police department has intensified vigilance in 100 hyper-sensitive villages and frequently conducting flag march and night beats. In the wake of tense situation in villages, SP K Arief Hafeez warned petrol bunk owners that they will face stringent action if they give petrol in bottles to customers.