Andhra CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy casts his vote at polling booth in Bakharapuram, Pulivendula, Kadapa district; TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and wife Nara Bhuvaneswari cast their votes at a polling booth in Mangalagiri.
Credit: Special arrangement.
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh): Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu along with their respective family members, were among the early voters in the state on Monday.
Assembly elections are being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls in Andhra Pradesh.
Governor Nazeer and First Lady Sameera Nazeer exercised their franchise at the green polling station in Vijayawada.
Jagan Mohan Reddy cast his vote at Bhakarapuram in Pulivendula constituency in Kadapa district while Chandrababu Naidu and his wife exercised their franchise in Amaravati.
Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan voted in Mangalagiri.
Prior to the start of polling at 6 am in Macherla mandal in Palnadu district, violence broke out between ruling YSRCP and TDP cadres. A female TDP supporter suffered a large gash on her forehead.
Palnadu district Superintendent of Police Bindu Madhav Garikapati told PTI that the situation is peaceful now.
A mob of around hundred villagers attacked a poll agent and a case of attempt to murder case was being registered against more than hundred members, Kadapa SP Siddharth Kaushal said.
Speaking to mediapersons after casting his vote, Jagan Mohan Reddy said the people have seen the best governance during the past five years. "You have seen the governance and if you think you have benefited from this governance then vote for that governance which would lead to a brighter future," he told reporters.
Naidu said vote is a weapon in democracy which will set right the lives of the voters, society and their children's future.
"I am requesting only one thing from the entire state. Vote is your right, it will change your lives. It will also change your lives and lay the foundation not only for your children but for the future generation also. Everybody should turn up with responsibility and exercise their franchise and express your inner feelings to herald the coming good governance," the former chief minister said.
The polling is scheduled from 7 am to 6 pm in the state, barring a few places where it will conclude one or two hours earlier. Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendula), Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam) and Janasena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram), among others, are in the Assembly poll race. Andhra Pradesh Congress president and Jagan's sister YS Sharmila (Kadapa) and BJP state chief D Purandeswari (Rajamahendravaram), among others, are in Lok Sabha poll fray. The YSRCP is contesting in all 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha segments in the state. As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while the BJP is contesting from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. The Janasena is contesting two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats.