In a shocking display of VIP culture, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Andhra Pradesh was caught on camera slapping a voter at a polling booth in Guntur district. The incident involving YSR Congress Party MLA A Sivakumar quickly went viral, showing him assaulting a voter who reportedly objected to the MLA jumping the queue.
In the video, Sivakumar is seen approaching the voter and delivering a slap, prompting the voter to retaliate. The MLA’s aides then join in, initiating a physical altercation while other voters attempt to intervene. Remarkably, no security personnel are visible in the video, raising questions about the lack of intervention.
Although the exact circumstances leading to the altercation remain unclear, social media has been ablaze with criticism directed at the MLA for his behavior.
The incident occurred amid the backdrop of crucial elections in Andhra Pradesh, with 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats up for grabs. The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party government faces stiff competition from an alliance between the BJP and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by N Chandrababu Naidu.
TDP spokesperson Jyothsna Tirunagi condemned the incident, attributing it to the ruling party’s desperation as they sense a potential defeat. She emphasized that such behavior would not be tolerated by the electorate.
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
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Meanwhile, YSR Congress Party MLA Abdul Hafeez Khan has dismissed the video as part of a conspiracy to discredit the ruling party. The party has also alleged that TDP members were responsible for attacks on their supporters, sharing visuals of injured individuals on social media.
The viral video underscores the intense atmosphere of the election campaign in Andhra Pradesh, characterized by heated exchanges between leaders of the TDP and the YSR Congress Party. With both parties heavily invested in the outcome, tensions have been running high as they vie for victory in the polls. Jagan Mohan Reddy aims to secure another term in office, while N Chandrababu Naidu seeks to stage a comeback with the backing of the BJP.
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