Pulivendula/Vontimitta: ZPTC byelections for Pulivendula and Ontimitta concluded largely peaceful on Tuesday, despite a few isolated incidents of tension.

According to official sources, voter turnout was strong, with 71.31 per cent of the total 10,601 voters in Pulivendula and 66.34 per cent of the 34,606 voters in Vontimitta casting their ballots by 3 pm. With a significant number of voters queuing since 7 am, officials anticipate the final poll percentage to exceed 80 per cent in Pulivendula and 75 per cent in Vontimitta.

For the Pulivendula ZPTC, TDP’s candidate was Mareddy Latha Reddy, wife of Pulivendula TDP in-charge Mareddy Ravindranath Reddy (B. Tech Ravi), against YSRCP’s Hemanth Reddy. In Ontimitta, M Muddukrishna Reddy represented the TDP, while Iragam Reddy Subbareddy ran on the YSRCP banner.

In an effort to prevent untoward incidents, police took pre-emptive action. YSRCP Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy and TDP MLC Rambhoopal Reddy were placed under house arrest in Pulivendula. Tense moments were reported at MP Avinash Reddy’s residence as he launched a protest by sitting on the floor while police attempted to detain him.

In Ontimitta mandal, a tense situation arose in Mantapampalli village when former minister and Kadapa MLA Amzath Basha and others were arrested for allegedly trying to disrupt the electoral process. Clashes were reported between YSRCP and TDP activists in Narasannagari Palle village of Ontimitta mandal. Similar tensions in Chennakittapalle, Ontimitta, and Saladpalle villages caused a half-an-hour disruption in the elections.

As a protest against alleged booth capturing and rigging by the TDP, Pulivendula YSRCP candidate Hemanth Reddy refused to cast his vote at his native village of Tummalapalle, despite repeated appeals by police.

The administration set up 15 polling stations in Pulivendula and 30 in Ontimitta to facilitate the voting.