Tension in Guntur as TDP, YSRCP cadres clash over alleged misuse of volunteers

March 20, 2024 07:45 pm | Updated 08:12 pm IST - GUNTUR

Tension prevailed in Guntur under the Prathipadu Assembly constituency limits on Wednesday as the Opposition TDP and ruling YSRCP cadres clashed over the meetings allegedly being conducted by ruling party candidate Balasani Kiran Kumar with the government-appointed volunteers.

TDP candidate B. Ramanjaneyulu, along with the activists of the alliance parties, the BJP and the JSP, staged a protest in front of Mr. Kiran Kumar’s residence and raised slogans against the “misuse of volunteers and violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by convening a meeting with the volunteers.”

In retaliation, the YSRCP leaders allegedly attacked the vehicles of the TDP leader. During the heated argument that preceded, while the YSRCP denied the presence of the volunteers at the meeting, the TDP named the volunteers who reportedly came from different villages for the meeting.

The TDP leaders said they had identified the volunteers by name and village, and lodged a complaint with the Nallapadu police.

Mr. Ramanjaneyulu alleged that the YSRCP candidate had been conducting meetings with the volunteers, offering them money and gifts. The YSRCP leader was also asking the volunteers to identify the opposition voters and influence them to favour the ruling party, he alleged.