Andhra Pradesh Elections 2019: One Worker Each from TDP, YSR Congress Killed in Clashes During Voting

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh): One worker each from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress were reportedly killed on Thursday as clashes broke out between supporters of the rival parties during voting for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Technical glitches in EVMs also hampered polling at numerous booths as voting got underway for 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly seats.

In Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district, tension prevailed in Ponnathota village as YSRC and TDP workers indulged in stone-throwing. In Narsaraopet constituency in Guntur district, YSRC leaders alleged TDP men ransacked a polling station in Yelamanda village and damaged the furniture.

Police personnel were also preventing YSRC sympathisers from entering the polling booth, they alleged.

In Guntakal, former MLA and candidate of Jana Sena Party, Madhusudan Gupta, smashed an EVM in a fit of rage alleging that party symbols were not properly printed on the ballot unit. He also shouted at the polling personnel on duty. Gupta was immediately taken into police custody.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his family members exercised their franchise at a polling station in Undavalli village in state capital region Amaravati. His son Nara Lokesh is the TDP candidate from Mangalagiri Assembly segment that covers Undavalli.

Talking to reporters, the Chief Minister referred to technical glitches in EVMs and said he was demanding that ballot papers be re-introduced.

"No developed country is using EVMs as they are prone to manipulation. We have hence been demanding that we revert to the ballot paper system," Naidu said.

YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy cast his vote in his native Pulivendula in Kadapa district, from where he is seeking re-election.

"I am very confident that people are looking for a change," Jagan, who is aspiring for the chief minister's post, remarked.

Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan exercised his franchise in Vijayawada.State Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam also cast his vote in Vijayawada.

State Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi cast his vote in Tadepalli. Interestingly, the VVPAT machine did not function when Dwivedi voted.

This is the first general election in the state after bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of Telangana in June 2014.

There are a total of 3,93,45,717 registered voters, including 1,94,62,339 men, 1,98,79,421 women and 3,957 transgenders.

Of the total, 10.15 lakh are first-time voters in the 18-19 age group.

As many as 2,118 and 319 candidates are in the fray for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats respectively.

Polling would end at 5 pm in the Left-wing Extremism-affected areas, mostly those bordering Odisha and Chhattisgarh.