EFFECT OF POLL VIOLENCE: Former Minister J.R. Pushparaj being treated in Government General Hospital in Guntur on Thursday. He was injured in a clash between Congress and TDP supporters at Amaravati. - Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar

HYDERABAD: As the State Election Commission (SEC) ordered repoll in 54 polling stations in 10 districts, the State Government blamed the Telugu Desam for instigating violence that marred the first phase of local body elections on Wednesday.

The repoll would be held on Friday in ten polling stations each in Nalgonda and Anantapur, seven in Krishna, six each in East Godavari and Kadapa, five in Prakasam, four in Adilabad, three in Kurnool, two in Vizianagaram and one in Karimnagar, SEC secretary G.N. Rao told a news conference on Thursday.

Mr. Rao said the polling percentage was 70.94. He announced the suspension of a field officer of the Fisheries Department in Mahbubnagar, Gangaram, for campaigning for his wife who contested as an MPTC candidate.

YSR holds meeting

Earlier, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy took stock of the violence that broke out during polling at a meeting with Home Minister K. Jana Reddy and top police officials.

Briefing reporters on the outcome of the meeting, the Home Minister alleged that the provocative speeches of TDP leaders, particularly its president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, were responsible for the incidents which were in any case far "very few", compared to the local body elections of 2001. Violence of such low scale was never witnessed in any election in the State in the last 15 years.

Pat for police

Mr. Reddy said Mr. Naidu gave a call to the TDP cadre to obstruct the polling out of `frustration' that the party was facing a certain defeat. By urging them to retaliate, storm polling stations and Collectorates and land in jails, Mr. Naidu kept up pressure on the workers for the last ten days, he alleged.

He complimented the police for acting with utmost restraint in the face of adverse situations.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail