A heated altercation followed by jostling between local leaders of the YSR Congress Party and the Congress at Vempalli gram panchayat nomination centre in Kadapa district led to tension on Friday.
Sources said trouble started when a Congress-backed candidate Ravi Kumar was allegedly prevented from filing his nomination by YSRCP activists. On receipt of information, Congress supporters, along with the party’s working president N. Tulasi Reddy, reached the place where they were stopped allegedly by the ruling party’s men.
Tension mounted when a heated exchange led to jostling between the two sides. Police arrived and restored order at the centre.
AP Congress Party Coordination Committee member Sunkara Padmasree criticised the ‘high-handed behaviour’ of the ruling party men against the senior Congress leader.
Ms. Padmasree accused the YSRCP of ‘unleashing a reign of anarchy in the State’.
“Candidates supported by Opposition parties are being prevented from filing nominations. The ruling party MLAs have been threatening to withdraw benefits of government schemes if anybody tries to contest against candidates that have their backing,” she alleged.
She said if the YSRCP was so confident about its victory, it should let people decide through the ballot.
