Over 70 pc polling in by-election for two ZPTC seats in Jagan's constituency (Lead)

Amaravati, Aug 12 (IANS) More than 70 per cent voters cast their votes for the by-elections to Pulivendula and Ontimitta Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) in YSR Kadapa district on Tuesday, while alleging large-scale irregularities opposition YSRCP demanded cancellation of the by-poll.

The polling, which began at 7 a.m. amid tight security, concluded at 5 p.m. However, the voters standing in queues at polling stations at 5 p.m. were allowed to cast their votes.

Barring minor incidents, the polling remained peaceful. The counting of votes will be taken up on August 14

Eleven candidates each are in fray in the two segments in Pulivendula Assembly constituency, the home turf of former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

A total of 10,600 voters are eligible to vote at 15 polling centres in Pulivendula ZPTC, while there are 24,000 voters in Ontimitta ZPTC.

There was high drama when YSRCP leader and Kadapa MP Y. S. Avinash Reddy, who was taken into preventive custody in the morning, gave police the slip and appeared at the YSRCP office in Pulivendula.

As the police reached there after a chase, the workers locked him in a room and tried to prevent the police officer.

DIG Koya Praveen and SP Ashok Kumar also reached the YSRCP officer and warned the cadres to open the door. The officials pulled up the MP for escaping from their custody.

The MP, who is a cousin of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was taken to the DSP office, where he was kept till 5 p.m.

In another incident, YSRCP’s Kadapa district president and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s maternal uncle, Ravindranath Reddy and some other leaders barged into a polling booth in Ontimitta. Police intervened to disperse the YSRCP leaders.

Police also placed under house arrest YSRCP state secretary Satish Reddy in Vempally and TDP MLC Ramgopal Reddy in Pulivendula.

Meanwhile, YSRCP leader and former minister Sake Sailajanath demanded the immediate cancellation of the Pulivendula and Ontimitta ZPTC by-elections, calling for fresh, transparent polls. He accused the State Election Commission (SEC) and government of failing to uphold democratic norms, alleging the ruling TDP manipulated institutions to rig the process.

Sailajanath condemned the elections as a "shame to democracy," citing what he called TDP-orchestrated booth capturing, relocation of polling stations, expulsion of YSRCP agents, and voter intimidation with sticks.

Though these are only by-elections for two seats in the local body, they have attracted the attention of all due to the high stakes involved.

The by-elections are a battle of prestige for both the ruling TDP and the opposition YSRCP.

While Jagan is trying to maintain his grip on Pulivendula, the TDP is looking to make further inroads into the YS family’s bastion.

The TDP-led NDA alliance had won seven out of 10 Assembly seats in Jagan’s home district, Kadapa, last year.

Pulivendula Assembly seat has been the pocket borough of the YSR family for nearly five decades. The family has never lost an election here since 1978, when Jagan’s father and former Chief Minister Y. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) scored his first victory from here.

The by-poll for Pulivendula ZPTC is necessitated by the death of YSRCP leader T. Maheshwar Reddy. While YSRCP has fielded its son Hemanth Reddy, TDP’s candidate is Latha Reddy, wife of former MLC and the ruling party’s Pulivendula constituency in-charge, Mareddy Ravindra Reddy (B Tech Ravi).

Ontimitta is also going to a ZPTC by-poll as its member, YSRCP leader Akepati Amarnath Reddy, resigned after winning the Rajampet Assembly election last year.

In Ontimitta, TDP’s Muddu Krishna Reddy contests against YSRCP’s Iragamreddy Subbareddy.

--IANS

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