Battle Intensifies on Voting Day:TDP Accuses YSRCP of Kidnapping Polling Agents in Andhra's Punganur

New Delhi: As voting is underway in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Monday, May 13, Telugu Desam Party has accused CM Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress party of kidnapping its polling agents in Punganur. Polling for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh is underway with voters standing in queues to exercise their franchise on Monday.

Former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP had urged the administration to deploy additional police force alleging that 7 polling agents of the party. The TDP, in its statement, has blamed rival YSRCP candidate Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy. The Election Commission has deployed 1.06 lakh security personnel, who included 3,500 Karnataka police, 4,500 Tamil Nadu police, 1,614 ex-servicemen and 246 retired police personnel, reported PTI. 

The agents who were on their way to polling station when they were beaten and forced into a vehicle by YSRCP supporters, alleged TDP. "Supporters of YSRCP leader Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy have abducted 15 polling agents. The party people were going to the polling station and during this time they were beaten and all this was done," said TDP.

3 Rescued by Election Commission 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena on Monday said three TDP polling agents who were allegedly kidnapped in Chittoor district have been traced and secured. According to a press release from the CEO's office, the TDP agents were kidnapped from Bokaramanda village in Chittoor district's Sadum mandal, which falls under the Punganuru Assembly constituency.

"TDP district in-charge Jagan Mohan Raju complained that TDP agents belonging to polling stations 188, 189 and 199 were kidnapped by YSRCP leaders while going to the polling stations," said Meena. Consequently, the CEO noted that Chittoor district election officials and the Police department responded quickly, rescuing the kidnapped agents from Pileru and later enabled them to attend to their duties. Further, Meena observed that a probe is underway to identify the kidnappers.

TDP Contesting Against YSRCP In Alliance With BJP, JanaSena 

Chandrababu Naidu, after casting his vote on Monday said that he has never so many people waiting to cast their vote. "I have never seen such a crowd during my political career. People have come from America, Bengaluru, Chennai to cast their votes. People want to protect democracy and their future," said Naidu, as quoted by ANI. 

After an intense campaign marked by fervent speeches from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and several other prominent leaders across political parties over the past several weeks, polling began at 7 am today.

YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendula), TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam) and Janasena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram), among others, are in the Assembly poll race. Andhra Pradesh Congress president and Jagan's sister YS Sharmila (Kadapa) and BJP state chief Purandeswari (Rajamahendravaram), among others, are in Lok Sabha poll fray.

The YSRCP is contesting in all 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha segments in the state. As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while the BJP is contesting from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. The Janasena is contesting two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats. The YSRCP won 151 seats, TDP 23 and Janasena claimed one in the last Assembly polls while the ruling party emerged victorious in 22 and Chandrababu Naidu-led party in three Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 elections. 

(With inputs from PTI)