Andhra Assembly Polls: Jana Sena candidate smashes EVM in Anantapur, arrested

Jana Sena candidate Madhusudhan Gupta was arrested after he damaged the electronic voting machine at a polling booth in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur on Thursday. Gupta smashed the EVM at a polling booth in Annatpur’s Gooty area. “It is totally bogus,” Gupta was heard telling media persons after he damaged the EVM. Reports says that he was angry that candidates’ names weren't displayed properly. The leader of superstar Pawan Kalyan’s Party, Gupta was taken into police custody soon after the incident. The party has so far not issued any statement over the bizarre case. 

Along with the Lok Sabha polls, Andhra Pradesh is also voting for the Assembly Elections. There are 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh. Both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are being held simultaneously. The counting of votes for the same will be held on May 23. There will be a tough contest between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), YSR Congress Party, BJP, Congress and CPI.

Earlier, YSR Congress Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy filed nomination from Pulivendula Assembly constituency. Reddy, the leader of Opposition was accompanied by other YSR Congress Party members and filed his papers before the Returning Officer in Pulivendula town of Kadapa district.

"Every vote that is cast will be a vote not just for Jagan but also for the future of Andhra Pradesh and the party navaratnas are more precious than the money bags of Chandrababu Naidu." Jagan told his supporters before filling his nomination from his home turf. Addressing a massive crowd of his supporters in Pulivendula, Reddy further appealed to people to bless him and his party for the next month's elections to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Earlier, the Election Commission announced that the assembly elections in four states – Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh – will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir will not be held along with the general elections.