Barring stray incidents of fisticuffs, polling for the nine MLC seats in Andhra Pradesh was held peacefully and successfully on Monday. TDP and the YSR Congress activists clashed with each other at Ongole, while it went on well in the rest of the districts.
Polling for the four MLC seats from the local bodies constituencies of Srikakulam, West Godavari and Kurnool is going to be one sided as the ruling YSR Congress has absolute majority in the local bodies. The election here was forced with the presence of independent candidates who refused to withdraw their nominations. Five other MLC seats from the local bodies were unanimous as there were no other nominations filed.
Election was held for the local bodies MLC seats of one each in Srikakulam and Kurnool and two seats in West Godavari district. The ruling YSR Congress is sure of its victory here.
The polling for the three graduate constituencies and two teachers constituencies spread over the Rayalaseeema and north Andhra regions too was peaceful barring complaints of fake voters. The opposition TDP lodged complaints with the Chief Electoral Officer about the fake votes. However, the EC said that the issues raised by the TDP were addressed.
Polling was held for Visakhapatnam-Vizianagaram-Srikakulam Graduates constituency where BJP sitting MLC P V N Madhav is seeking re-election. The YSR Congress and the TDP have fielded their candidates here.
The two other Graduates constituencies of Prakasam-Nellore-Chittoor and Kurnool-Anantapur-Kadapa too were held peacefully. The two teachers constituencies in these six districts too have seen peaceful polling on the day.
The officials have shifted the ballot boxes to the eight strong rooms as the counting is to be held on March 16. The officials have provided pool proof security for both the polling and at the strong rooms.
While the counting of votes for the local bodies is likely to be over on the same day on March 16, the counting of votes for the teachers and the graduates MLC seats is likely to take at least two days as the officials would have to count the first and second priority votes.
