Tight security in sensitive areas of Andhra

Hyderabad: Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh have been turned into a fortress as more than 60,000 policemen and paramilitary personnel have taken position for the second phase of elections in Andhra Pradesh.

Nearly 26.6 million voters will exercise their franchise in today's polls and decide the fate of 154 candidates for 20 Lok Sabha seats and 1,822 candidates for 140 assembly constituencies.

Ten districts in the state are going to the polls today. The police and the election authorities have focused their attention on the faction ridden Rayalaseema region, especially on Kadapa and Anantapur areas, notorious for killings of rival activists and bomb culture.

The Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy's Pulivendula constituency in Kadapa was among the constituencies where extra vigil is being maintained.

Tension mounted on the eve of polling with workers of Congress party and the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) of film star Chiranjeevi clashing outside a hotel in Tirupati where the star was staying.

The clash took place when a team of policemen wanted to search the hotel, including the room of Chiranjeevi on a complaint from the Congress party that the place was being misused to influence voters.

When the PRP workers tried to the stop the police, the police used force to disperse them. Subsequently it led to clashes between PRP and Congress workers. Police used batons to disperse the stone-throwing mob. Later the police searched the hotel but nothing was found.

Chiranjeevi who is contesting from Tirupati assembly constituency alleged that some miscreants and anti-social elements tried to attack him.

"The Congress party has brought notorious element from outside to terrorise PRP workers and voters", he said.

Rayalaseema region is infamous for political killings and inter-party violence. Anantapur district witnessed the murder of 50 opposition workers. They include a Telugu Desam party legislator, Paritala Ravindra, and former legislator, K Suryapratap Reddy.

About 120,000 policemen and personnel of para-military and other forces are deployed in the state for election duty.

The Chief Electoral Officer, I. V. Subba Rao, said that special attention was being paid to the problematic areas to ensure free and fair elections.

"We are leaving nothing to chance in ensuring an atmosphere in which the voters will be able to go out and vote freely," he said.

The election authorities have identified 4,311 problematic and 2,222 hyper sensitive polling stations in the second phase. There were also 410 polling stations affected by the Maoist violence in the past.

"We have deployed 24 senior IPS officers to supervise the arrangements in the sensitive and affected areas and this time we are also using the helicopters to monitor the situation," he said.

As part of the security arrangements, borders of the ten districts have been sealed and no vehicle was being allowed in with out thorough checking.

The police and security forces have seized large amount of money and liquor from workers and supporters of different parties.