In a surprising incident during the ongoing general elections in Andhra Pradesh, a member of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) allegedly slapped a voter at a polling station in Guntur. The incident, captured on video, has circulated widely on social media.
The video shows YSRCP MLA A Sivakumar approaching a voter and slapping him, reportedly after the voter objected to the MLA jumping the queue at the polling station. In retaliation, the voter slapped the MLA back. Subsequently, the MLA’s supporters joined in, assaulting the voter as others attempted to intervene.<
VIDEO| Lok Sabha Elections 2024: YSRCP leader VS Shivakumar engaged in a slapping battle with a voter at a polling booth of Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur. #LSPolls2024WithPTI #LokSabhaElections2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/SB9gqgmsGp
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 13, 2024
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The altercation occurred amidst voting for the fourth phase of the general elections, encompassing 96 constituencies across nine states and one Union Territory. In Andhra Pradesh, voting was held simultaneously for 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats.
The YSRCP, led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, is facing off against alliances formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The YSRCP secured a landslide victory in the 2019 elections, winning 151 out of 175 Assembly seats and forming the state government with Jagan Mohan Reddy assuming the role of Chief Minister.
The incident at the polling booth has drawn attention to issues of political conduct and voter rights. Authorities have been urged to investigate the incident and ensure that such confrontations do not mar the democratic process in the future.
