The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)

Post-poll violence in Andhra: EC summons chief secretary, DGP

FOLLOWING REPORTS of incidents of violence Monday polling day and later, the EC Wednesday summoned Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K S Jawahar Reddy and DGP Harish Kumar Gupta to Delhi.

According to EC sources, the officials have been summoned to seek an explanatio­n on why postpoll violence “could not be curbed”bytheadmin­istrativem­achinery and for informatio­n regarding pre-emptive steps taken to prevent such incidents. “Chief Election Commission­er Rajiv Kumar is personally monitoring­thesituati­on,”sourcessai­d.

The opposition TDP and ruling YSRCP have accused each other of attacking their cadres outside polling booths.

On Monday, TDP supremo N Chandrabab­u Naidu alleged 15 polling agents of his party were kidnapped by YSRCP men in Chittoor,palnaduand­gunturdist­ricts.while12oft­hemreporte­dly “found their way back”, Andhra Pradesh CEO Mukesh Kumar Meenasaid3­otherswere"traced" and "rescued". According to Meena, the agents were kidnapped from Sadun mandal in Chittoor district.

YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishn­a Reddy said, “The fear of losing the election is forcing TDP leaders and cadres to instigate violence.”

An official from Gupta’s office said he was busy in meetings and could not respond. Jawahar Reddy’s office said the Chief Secretary did not want to comment. Gupta was appointed Andhra DGP on May 6, a week before polling, after the EC ordered the transfer of former top cop K V Rajendrana­th Reddy after complaints of "bias".

Among cases of violence reported across the state, there was tension in Narasaraop­et Tuesday after TDP cadres allegedly attacked the house of YSRCP MLA Gopireddy Srinivas in retaliatio­n to the attack on TDP candidate C Arvind. The police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

On Wednesday, clashes broke out in Tadipatri after TDP leader J C Diwakar Reddy reportedly directed his cadre to hoist the party flag atop of the residence of sitting YSRCP MLA Kethireddy Pedda Reddy.

In Darsi of Prakasam district, polling was halted for a while after a TDP councillor damaged an Evminapoll­ingbooth. Intenali, SITTINGYSR­CPMLA Ashivakuma­r was accused of slapping a voter who asked him not to jump the queue. As the voter slapped the MLA back, the legislator’s supporters roughed up the voter.

Incidents of stone-pelting and scuffles between TDP and YSRCP cadres were also reported from the Assembly constituen­cies of Anantapur, Gannavaram, Macherla, Amadalaval­asa and districts of Palnadu, Tirupati, Kurnool and Prakasam.

Meanwhile, YSRCP has written to the CEC and DGP alleging that violence in the state “erupted since the announceme­nt of polls on March 16”. Party leader L Appi Reddy in his letter to CEC accused the Special Police Observer in the state Deepak Mishra of “avoiding complaints against the TDP miscreants who attacked YSRCP leaders”.

In its letter to the DGP, YSRCP claimed the situation in the state had reached critical levels and “is endangerin­g the safety and wellbeing of party members”.