Andhra Pradesh - Kadapa   

Congress, TDP all out to win Badvel

KADAPA: Congress as well as the Telugu Desam Party have locked horns and going all out to win the Badvel municipality which is going to polls on Monday.

The Congress, which has won Kadapa Municipal Corporation and Rajampet, Rayachoti, Jammalamadugu and Pulivendula municipalities in the past, is fighting the election prestigiously to bag the Badvel civic body too.

The TDP, which has hold in Badvel, is also giving a keen fight to win it.

Functionaries of the main parties are going all out to woo the electorate by distributing money, liquor, saris and so on.

Tension prevailed on Saturday night when TDP functionaries obstructed the 15-car convoy of Congress MLA of Jammalamadugu C. Adinarayana Reddy at Thottigaripalle in Badvel alleging that the Congressmen were distributing money and saris to voters. Congressmen assaulted BJP candidate Janardhan Reddy and tore away his shirt at Thottigaripalle. Policemen went to the place and took a Congressman into custody while other Congressmen left by alleging that TDP functionaries were also distributing money and liquor.

The ruling party men snatched away the camera of an Andhra Jyothi photographer who reportedly took pictures of the distribution of money.

A little while later, Badvel ZPTC member B. Sasidhar Reddy returned the camera but its memory chip containing the pictures of alleged violation of election code was missing. Earlier, Badvel urban sub-inspector Balaiah refused to accept a complaint from journalists against Congressmen on snatching away of the camera.

The possibilities of rigging, impersonation and marginal violence on June 2, the polling day, are imminent.

A large posse of police force has been posted in Badvel but they seem to be watching the situation.

Congress leaders and activists of several constituencies including Pulivendula and Jammalamadugu are stationed at Badvel and are striving to ensure that the ruling party romps home.

In contrast, TDP is relying on local leaders to boost the party nominees’ prospects.

Neither election officials nor the police forces have made any attempts to send away the ‘outsiders’ from Badvel, notwithstanding the warning given a couple of days ago that outsiders moving in Badvel would be brought to book. Similarly cars moved about in convoys in Badvel on Sunday.

While Congress and TDP are contesting all the 26 municipal wards, the BJP and CPI are contesting one ward each and the CPI (M) two wards.

In all, 36,791 voters will cast their votes in 49 polling stations when polling commences at 7 a.m. on June 2. Local holiday was declared to government offices, banks and schools.

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