Sporadic clashes, rigging allegations mark urban local body polls in Kurnool, Nandyal and Anantapur districts

Industries Minister T.G. Bharath Gupta casting his vote in Kurnool on Sunday. | Photo Credit: U. SUBRAMANYAM

Elections to urban local bodies in Kurnool, Anantapur, and Nandyal districts witnessed sporadic incidents of clashes, allegations of rigging and other electoral malpractices, and mild tensions in several wards on Sunday.

In Kurnool, Industries and Commerce Minister T.G. Bharath Gupta reportedly found a YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader in the polling station at Bandimetta in ward 4 without having a valid identity card issued by the election authorities. He confronted the YSRCP leader, who left the polling station after police intervention.

In another polling booth in the 13th ward, a woman could not cast her vote as it had already been cast by someone else. Mr. Bharath took exception to the woman losing her vote and questioned the election authorities for failing to prevent votes being cast by others.

Mr. Bharath, who cast his vote at Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu school, alleged that the YSRCP leaders tried to terrorise the voters by making history-sheeters as their polling agents. He claimed that the NDA leaders maintained restraint despite provocations from the YSRCP.

A policeman helps an elderly woman climb onto a motorcycle after she casts her vote in the Kurnool Municipal Corporation elections in Kurnool on Sunday. | Photo Credit: U. SUBRAMANYAM

In Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC), nearly 53.77 per cent voting was registered by 5 p.m., 67.90 per cent in Yemmiganur municipality, 42.28 per cent in Adoni municipality and 83.73 per cent in Gudur Nagar panchayat. Overall, 56.01 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the four local bodies.

In Nandyal, MP Byreddy Shabari went around the town visiting polling booths and interacted with party leaders to enquire about the polling process.

Ms. Shabari alleged that YSRCP leaders and activists were approaching voters in the queues near polling booths and pressuring them to cast their votes for the YSRCP election symbol. Ms. Shabari said the YSRCP leaders’ attempts to secure a victory through fraudulent votes will not succeed in Nandyal.

Across all the local bodies in Nandyal district, 51.93 per cent of voters cast their votes, while in Nandyal municipality, 46.04% of voters had voted by 3 p.m.

In Anantapur Municipal Corporation, minor clashes were reported in some divisions, while allegations of rigging were reported at some polling booths.

In Anantapur district, of the six urban local bodies that went for polling, nearly 59.87% voting was reported by 5 p.m., with Anantapur Municipal Corporation, which has 62 wards, registering 53.18 per cent polling. In Guntakal municipality, 59.03 per cent voting was registered, while 54.93 per cent was reported in Gooty, 65.52 per cent in Tadipatri, 75.71 per cent in Rayadurgam, and 69.75 per cnet in Kalyanadurgam respectively.

Published - November 01, 2026 08:54 pm IST