Electoral battle turns more acrimonious in Tirupati

Tirupati: With the voting for the general elections only less than 2 weeks away, the campaign has turned more acrimonious. The main contenders ruling YSRCP and opposition JSP are indulging mutual accusations of promoting violence while the party cadre on many times came face to face resulting in ugly scenes leaving the people in fear. The police in the pilgrim city are having a tough time controlling the situation.

In the last one week alone, activists of the two parties, YSRCP and JSP activists, clashed with each other at five places, including Giripuram, Doddapuram Street and at Bairagipatteda in Tirumala on Monday.

YSRCP senior leader and city MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy accused the JSP candidate Jangalapalli Srinivasulu of bringing outsiders to the city to create trouble and obstruct the YSRCP electioneering. Without mincing words, he said Srinivasulu brought rowdies from Chittoor and sheltered them in homestay, lodges and, etc., to disturb YSRCP campaign and warn that the pilgrim city people will not tolerate anyone using rowdyism to win the election, and wanted the people of Tirupati give a fitting answer to Srinivasulu through ballet.

However, JSP candidate Srinivasulu and TDP senior leader Mabbu Deva Narayana Reddy strongly refuted Karunakar Reddy charges and said it was Karunakar Reddy who had a history of indulging in violence during the election.

In the Tirupati Lok Sabha byelection in 2021, it was Karunakar Reddy and YSRCP leader who resorted to violence and brought thousands of people from various places for bogus voting which the Tirupati people will not forget, they said.

Meanwhile, in view of the clashes between the rival parties police stepped up security and were fully prepared to ensure calm and peaceful polling.

Talking to The Hans India over phone, Tirupati district SP Krishna Kanth Patel said clashes occurred between the rival parties due to the parties taking up the campaign in the same area.

Permission was given to the parties for taking up campaign in all the 50 divisions in the city.

However, in view of the recent incidents it was decided after the meeting with district collector and others to direct the political parties to give prior intimation on the places they are going to take up campaigning. This is to ensure a police party accompanies the leaders during the campaign to prevent any clashes between the rival parties.

The SP, answering a question on outsiders being brought to the city to create trouble, said both YSRCP and JSP filed complaints accusing each other of bringing outsiders. “We are enquiring into the complaints and appropriate action will be taken on any outsiders staying unauthorizedly,” Patel said.