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AP's violent first phase points to encore on Sunday

Ch Sushil Rao in Hyderabad

As the second phase of polling draws near in Andhra Pradesh, the incidents of rigging and violence witnessed in the first phase on February 16 point to an eventful phase on February 22.

The fact that a repoll was ordered in as many as 238 polling booths in the constituencies which went for polls on February 16 has reflected badly on the Telugu Desam Party government of United Front convener N Chandrababu Naidu. Out of the 599 booths in which the Election Commission ordered a repoll, a whopping 238 are in 13 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh alone.

The first phase has cast a cloud on the TDP, as the Opposition is up in arms against two ministers for indulging in violence and rigging. The BJP and the Congress are demanding the dismissal of these ministers.

A tense situation prevails in Narsaraopet constituency of Guntur district as curfew was imposed from Tuesday night to Wednesday night by the district police following an incident in which Panchayati Raj Minister Kodela Sivaprasada Rao allegedly attacked local BJP leader Dr Kondapalli Venkateshwarlu.

K S Rao has denied his involvement in the attack on the BJP leader but as the situation threatened to go out of control following the incident, more paramilitary forces were deployed throughout the constituency. Both the Congress and the BJP called for a bandh on Wednesday demanding that Sivaprasada Rao be arrested. The situation continued to be tense in Narasraopet even on Thursday, according to police sources.

The BJP's charge that the TDP had indulged in massive rigging in all the 21 constituencies which went for poll was not without basis, as Primary Education Minister K E Prabhakar was arrested by the police for allegedly snatching ballot papers. The minister was first warned by the police but when he reportedly snatched ballot papers from a booth in Kurnool constituency, he was arrested.

K C Krishnamurthy was the TDP's candidate against CWC member and senior Congress leader Kotla Vijaybhaskara Reddy in the constituency.

Congress Legislature Party secretary M Kondanda Reddy charged the TDP with rigging the polls.

Reports say that so blatant was the rigging by the TDP that it took no chances whatsoever even in constituencies which it considered were its strongholds.

Two persons were killed in poll-related violence and one committed suicide. At least 50 people were injured in incidents of violence during the first phase. Hurling of bombs, stabbing and rigging marred the poll particularly in the faction-ridden Rayalaseema region. Police fired several rounds in the air to disperse unruly mobs in Bapatla from where former chief minister N Janardhana Reddy is contesting and in Kurnool.

Cuddapah strongman Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, former MP and K Sivananda Reddy, brother of K Rajamohan Reddy, the TDP candidate from Cuddapah were arrested when they clashed, and released later.

Congress worker I Ramakrishna Reddy was stabbed to death allegedly by a TDP activist in Isakamerla village in Ongole constituency. A clash between TDP and Congress workers resulted in the death of a Congress activist, Nageshwara Rao, who was stabbed in Bapatla. In another incident a TDP worker Fakir Gaheb was killed in violence in Kurnool.

The TDP, which is being accused of rigging in the election, has not only denied the charged but also expressed displeasure at the Election Commission ordering a repoll in as many as 76 polling booths in Hindupur constituency.

The party wrote to the Election Commission saying that though the Hindupur returning officer gave a report that there was rigging and impersonation in only nine polling booths where he proposed repoll should be ordered, the EC had ordered repoll in 76 polling booths.

The incidents of violence and rigging during the first phase seem to have made not only the political parties but also the police even more alert.

"We are not expecting everything to be peaceful during the second phase, especially in the light of what happened during the first phase. Security will be further tightened in the 21 constituencies going to polls on February 22," a senior police officer told Rediff On the NeT.

Related Report:
Congress, TDP workers clash in Guntur

Elections '98

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