Andhra Pradesh   

Stray incidents mar ZPTC byelection

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI. Feb. 7. A polling percentage of 71 was recorded in the byelection held today for the Vedurukuppam ZPTC seat amid stray incidents. The byelection, coming as it did in the run-up to the Assembly elections, touched off a lot of tension with two key players in the field - the TDP and the Congress -- locking horns for the seat. There was mild tension towards the end of polling at Mambedu and Pachchikapalem following alleged complaints of heavy impersonation by TDP supporters.

What heightened the tension further was the rumour that the Congress leader, G. Muddukrishnama Naidu, who spearheaded the campaign was hurt in a `clash' at Mambedu. It was just that Mr. Naidu's shirt was torn in the heavy pushing and jostling in front of the Mambedu polling station where the rival groups led by himself and the TDP leader, Dorababu, gathered following reports of `rigging' by TDP cadre.

As leaders of both the parties insisted on inspecting the booth with rival cadres swarming the booth, policemen, led by the Inspector, Lakshmi Reddy, denied entry and used force to push the crowd away from the booth leading to a melee. With news spreading about the alleged `attack' on Mr. Naidu, Pachikapalam, a strong bastion of Mr. Naidu, witnessed tension and an hour-long rasta roko was staged throwing traffic out of gear. It was not until Mr. Naidu appeared on the scene and explained the situation that his followers lifted the blockade.

The TDP district convenor, Rameshchandra Prasad's vehicle was said to have been mobbed and damaged by the irate crowd. At Nachchukuru, the Chief Minister's estranged brother, Ramamurthy Naidu, who recently joined the Congress, was said to have been chased by villagers protesting against his alleged remarks against N. Chandrababu Naidu.

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