TDP hopeful of a cakewalk in Kamalapuram Municipality as YSRCP stays away from contest

Not a single nomination was filed by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for the elections to the Kamalapuram Municipality in Kadapa district even as the last date ended on Sunday.

As a consequence, TDP’s chairperson candidate G. Swapna, as well as the councillor nominees, were hopeful of a cakewalk as only Independents were in the fray.

Unlike the violent incidents in Pulivendula and other places, Kamalapuram did not report any clash or violence, but the YSRCP candidates stayed out of the contest.

“The rivals, perhaps, found it unviable to focus their energy and funds on the municipality, as it will any way come into our fold, thanks to the people’s unwavering support,” Kamalapuram MLA Putha Krishna Chaitanya Reddy told The Hindu.

Meanwhile, the deadline for filing of nomination papers for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) ended in Kadapa district on a hectic note, with cases booked on more than 500 persons for resorting to violence. Several senior leaders were kept under house arrest on the final day of filing nominations.

The district police booked cases against 562 persons, mostly belonging to the YSRCP, in Pulivendula for Saturday’s violence, particularly assault of police forces and arson that led to destruction of public property.

Taking cognisance of the crowded processions that took a violent turn, the district police placed former Deputy Chief Minister S.B. Amzath Basha under house arrest in Kadapa and Member of Parliament Y.S. Avinash Reddy in Pulivendula.

TDP Pulivendula in-charge ‘B. Tech’ Ravi and the party’s district president C. Bhupesh Reddy were also placed under house arrest.

Decrying his house arrest, Mr. Amzath Basha accused the ruling party leaders of assaulting his party cadres with sticks and rods, besides flaying the policemen for remaining a mute spectator.

Meanwhile, TDP’s Kadapa Mayor candidate Matli Suvarna filed her nomination in the presence of Kadapa MLA Reddeppagari Madhavi Reddy and party’s zonal coordinator R. Srinivasa Reddy.