In a shocking turn of events, a YSRCP MLA slapped a voter after he raised an objection over the legislator jumping the queue at a polling booth in Tenali, Guntur on Monday (13th May). The video of the incident has gone viral on social media in which the voter can be seen hitting back at the ruling party MLA and slapping him. Subsequently, the supporters and accomplices of the YSCRP MLA joined him and launched an attack on the voter.
#WATCH | Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP MLA and candidate for state assembly elections, A Sivakumar attacks a voter in Tenali, Guntur. The voter, who was standing in a queue to cast his vote, objected to the MLA's attempt to jump the line and cast his vote without waiting. The MLA, in… pic.twitter.com/9tDP8wwJO8
— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024
Guy in white: YSRCP MLA A. Sivakumar trying to break queue to vote in Guntur, AP.
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 13, 2024
Guy in orange: Voter who objected to the MLA breaking the queue. pic.twitter.com/tibB7nf905
In the viral video, YSRCP MLA and candidate for state assembly elections, A Sivakumar can be seen walking towards the voter and slapping him. When the voter hit back and slapped the Tenali MLA Sivakumar, his supporters joined him and brutally assaulted the victim. Meanwhile, other voters lined up in the queue could be seen trying to protect the victim from the violent attack by the MLA and his supporters.
Voter who objected to #Guntur District #TenaliMLA #Sivakumar jumping queue, was slapped by him & voter returned in kind; ugly show of political musclepower as the @ysrcp MLA candidate's henchmen joined attack on voter #BoothViolence #ElectionsWithNDTV #AndhraPradeshElections2024 pic.twitter.com/Z5wK0enrWK
— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) May 13, 2024
Following the incident, the police registered a case against the MLA. Further investigation is currently underway in this matter. The incident has sparked outrage among the people and netizens.
TDP leader Nara Lokesh slammed the YSR Congress party and shared the video of the incident. Taking to X, he wrote, “Voters who say that there is nothing to fear from YSRCP’s rowdyism, I applaud your courage.”
వైసీపీ రౌడీయిజం, గూండాగిరికి భయపడేదే లేదు.. తగ్గేదేలేదు అంటున్న ఓటర్లు… మీ ధైర్యానికి నా హాట్సాఫ్!#YSRCPRowdyism#EndOfYCP#JaruguJagan #AndhraPradeshElections2024 pic.twitter.com/93SVIt1qfe
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) May 13, 2024
ఓటరుని కొట్టిన తెనాలి వైసీపీ MLA శివకుమార్, అతని అనుచరులు
— JanaSena Party (@JanaSenaParty) May 13, 2024
ఈ అహంకారాన్ని అణచివేయాలంటే మీ ఓటు అనే ఆయుధాన్ని ఉపయోగించాల్సిందే, బ్యాలట్ బాక్సులో జనసేన, టీడీపీ, బీజేపీ అభ్యర్థులకు ఓటు గుద్దాల్సిందే!#YCPLosingBig | #APVotesForAlliancepic.twitter.com/k6fXopEPni
Speaking with NDTV, TDP spokesperson Jyothsna Tirunagi said the incident captures the ruling party’s desperation “because they know they are losing”.
Tirunagi said, “This is ridiculous. The retaliation by the voter shows that people are not going to tolerate this nonsense anymore.”
Meanwhile, voting began in all 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh at 7 am today and will continue until 6 pm. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government is up against the trilateral alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Telugu Desam Party, and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena.
In the last assembly elections held in 2019, the YSRCP secured 151 seats, while the TDP won 23 seats, and the Jana Sena party secured one seat. In the same elections, the ruling party won 22 Lok Sabha seats, while the Chandrababu Naidu-led party secured three seats.
