Guntur: Polling passes off peacefully

Guntur: Polling for the prestigious Guntur Municipal Corporation passed off peacefully on Sunday. Polling started at a brisk pace and gradually picked up. According to the GMC Commissioner and Additional Election Authority K Mayur Ashok, 51.40% polling was recorded by 5 PM. As many as 3,18,009 voters exercised their franchise at 596 polling stations spread across 76 wards in the GMC elections. He inspected the polling stations set up at Borra Nageswara Rao School in Israelpet and reviewed the polling process.

NDA candidate for the Guntur mayoral post Kovelamudi Lakshmi Aparna, along with her husband and former mayor Kovelamudi Ravindra (Nani), exercised her franchise at the polling station set up at Lutheran High Modern High School near Dr BR Ambedkar Circle. Meanwhile, YSRCP candidate for the Guntur mayoral post Tadikonda Sridevi cast her vote at TJPS College in Pattabhipuram.

Guntur District SP Vakul Jindal reviewed the situation at various polling stations from the control room along with police officials.

YSRCP mayoral candidate Sridevi alleged that TDP activists damaged the ballot box and threw ballot papers at the polling station set up at Little Flower Convent, claiming that they were attempting to prevent alleged rigging. She also alleged that TDP leaders manhandled the YSRCP polling agent. Sridevi staged a protest by sitting on the floor and demanded action against the TDP leaders responsible for the incident. Returning officers, other election officials and police personnel rushed to the spot immediately and examined the video footage. Polling resumed at the booth within half-an-hour.

Similarly, Tenali Municipality recorded 56.51% polling by 5 PM at 185 polling stations spread across 52 wards. Minister for Civil Supplies Dr Nadendla Manohar exercised his franchise at Ravi Sambaiah Municipal High School in Tenali. NDA candidate for the Tenali Municipal Chairman’s post Thotakura Venkata Ramana Rao also cast his vote.

Addressing the media, former MLA Annabathuni Siva Kumar alleged that ruling party leaders were indulging in irregularities in the municipal elections with the support of the police. He warned that voters would teach the TDP a lesson in the GMC elections.

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VL Syamsundar

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