In the early hours of Friday, crowds of TDP and YSRCP supporters erupted into a scuffle in Rayachoti’s SN Colony, forcing 15 cars into flames and leaving several vehicles shattered. The melee spilled into Punganur, where a YSRCP MP’s convoy was pelted with stones and iron rods, prompting police to discharge a warning shot.
The clashes come as the state rolls out nominations for 100 urban local bodies, with candidates filing between October 16 and 18 and polling slated for October 28. Security concerns have intensified as the eye of the elections closes in.
YSRCP lodged a formal complaint accusing TDP operatives of blocking the MP’s convoy and alleging police negligence, while TDP countered that the MP’s supporters assaulted their leader Madhusudhan Royal, who sustained injuries amid the chaos.
A senior police officer reportedly fired a single round into the air to disperse the crowd, a move that sparked criticism from both parties. The State Election Commission has been asked to intervene and is currently investigating the incident.
Investigations are underway, but no arrests have been announced, and the Commission is expected to issue security directives before the October 28 voting day.