Kodela injured in attack by YSRCP activists

Guntur: Barring sporadic incidents in Palnadu region, the polling went off peacefully in Guntur district on Thursday. From morning, voters stood in long queues near the polling stations and exercised their franchise.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, his wife Bhuvaneswari, TDP candidate for Mangalagiri Assembly constituency N Lokesh Naidu, his wife Brahmani and AP Chief Electoral Officer Gopala Krishna Dwivedi also exercised their franchise at a polling booth in Tadepalli of Guntur district.

Voters faced lot of inconvenience due to malfunctioning of EVMs at Guntur east, west, Prattipadu, Mangalagiri, Ponnur, Gurazala, Tenali, Sattenapalli, constituencies. Malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines was reported from Mangalagiri constituency from where Nara Lokesh is contesting. Lokesh informed the matter to the Election Commission officials about the non-functioning of EVMs.

YSRCP candidate for Mangalagiri Assembly constituency Alla Rama Krishna Reddy staged protest at the polling booth at C K School in Mangalagiri resenting the malfunctioning of the EVMs which caused inconvenience to the voters. The voters were annoyed due to non-functioning of EVMs and they are compelled to wait for long time to exercise their franchise.

In a major incident, YSRCP activists attacked Assembly Speaker Dr Kodela Siva Prasada Rao and torn off his shirt at Inumetla village under Rajupalem mandal of Guntur district.When the EVMs stuck at a polling booth at Tenali town, TDP candidate for Tenali Assembly constituency Alapati Rajendra Prasad, YSRCP candidate for Guntur Parliament constituency entered into argument and heated exchanges took place. The officials then repaired the EVMs.

Three YSRCP activists sustained injuries, in the stone pelting incident that took place at polling booth No: 174 in Durgi mandal of Macherla Assembly constituency. The TDP and the YCP activists clashed pelting stones at each other. In the incident, three YSRCP activists were injured. They were sent home after giving first aid.

The clash started when one group opposed voting of another group at the polling booth. The YSRCP activists expressed ire and staged a protest on the road. When the situation was going out of control, the police swung into action and brandished guns and warned the warring groups.

MLA and YSRCP candidate for Macherla Assembly constituency Pinnelli Rama Krishna Reddy who rushed to the spot said, "Police did not take action against the TDP activists who pelted stones and injured the YCP activists though they complained several times.''

At a polling booth at Tangeda under Dachepalli mandal, when the TDP activists attempted for rigging, the YSRCP activists obstructed it. In the clash the TDP activists severely have beaten the YSRCP activists.

Police resorted to a mild lathi-charge against the YSRCP activists in Krosuru mandal of Pedakurapadu Assembly constituency. When a large number of YCP activists gathered at the polling booth, police warned them to go away.

When they ignored their warnings, they resorted to mild lathi-charge, in which a youth, Nakka Nagaraju fell unconscious. The YSRCP activists staged dharna to register protest and raised slogans against the government.