Amid the phase four polling for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, an uproarious incident has been reported from Andhra Pradesh's Guntur, where a voter and a local MLA were seen engaged in a scuffle reportedly over the latter jumping the queue at a polling station.
In a video which is going viral on social media, YSRCP MLA VS Shivakumar was seen heading towards a voter while having a heated discussion. He (Sivakumar) was further seen slapping the voter; however, he received a similar response from the latter. Further, seeing the voter retaliating to the MLA's response, Shivakumar's supporters also joined the scuffle. They thrashed the voter.
Significantly, in the aftermath of the incident, the state unit of the BJP questioned the YSRCP leader's action stating, 'do you have respect for democracy'. Further, taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla too condemned the incident, calling the action of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's party MLA as “arrogance & goondagardi".
Posting the video on the social media platform X, Shehzad Poonawalla wrote, “VVIP arrogance & goondagardi on full display. YSRCP MLA A Sivakumar slaps voter in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur. Telangana Congress neta kicks voter. Congress’ Randeep Surjewala once said Janta is Rakshas! If this is how they are treating voters at the polling booth, imagine what they will do post elections. Time to kick these parties and netas out!”
Further, reports of poll violence also emerged from Andhra Pradesh earlier in the day when the opposition party TDP accused the ruling YSRCP of kidnapping its poll agents. TDP also accused its rival party of beating up some of its polling agents, accusing them of causing disruptions in the voting process.
Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that polling on 25 Lok Sabha seats is currently underway in the state simultaneously with the polling for assembly elections on Monday.
