Violence marks Andhra polls

Amaravati: Sporadic violence marred the polling to assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh Thursday, reportedly leaving two YSR Congress and one ruling TDP member dead as the state witnessed over 73 per cent voter turnout.

Incidents of EVM damage and stone pelting marked the high octane polling that saw a large number out of the over 3.97 crore eligible voters turning up braving the scorching summer heat.1

The election will decide the fate of incumbent chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and main opposition YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Other contenders include the Congress, BJP and the Jana Sena of Pawan Kalyan, who has tied up with BSP.

Official sources said clashes between TDP and YSRC workers were reported in Guntur, Anantapuramu, West Godavari, Prakasam, Kurnool and Kadapa districts, but did not specify deaths.

The polling was not affected in any place, they said.

Police also did not confirm the election-related killings.

Telugu Desam and YSR Congress issued statements reporting the deaths of their party members accusing each other of being responsible for the violence.

Polling was held Thursday simultaneously for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state, in the first general election after bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of Telangana in June 2014. See P5