Tension, clashes during school panel elections in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, Sep 22 : Tension prevailed at several places in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday during the elections to school management committees.

Leaders and workers of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) clashed at few places.

With the leaders of ruling and opposition parties trying to prove their political domination by ensuring election of their supporters to the management committees, a tense atmosphere prevailed at most of the centres.

Education Department officials were also forced to postpone the polls at few places under pressure from the local political leaders. Parents of students also raised objection to political interference in the polls.

Tension prevailed in Tirumali in Yeleswaram mandal of East Godavari district as leaders of the YSRCP and the TDP came to blows. While the ruling party leaders wanted postponement of elections, the opposition party wanted the officials to go ahead with the polls.

Local TDP leaders alleged that the YSRCP leaders tried to stall the elections fearing defeat. Some villagers said they were stopped from casting their votes. They, along with TDP leaders, staged a sit-in and this led to a clash between the two groups. Police had to intervene to bring the situation under control.

Few people were injured in the clash between the two parties at Vellampalli village in Prakasam district. According to police, the rival groups pelted stones on each other. Following the clash, a police picket was deployed in the village.

There was tension at Guvvalacheruvu in Kadapa district as the two groups within the YSRCP clashed during the election over differences on the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the school committee.

In Kamalapuram mandal in the same district, workers of the YSRCP and the TDP clashed over one vote. The officials had to postpone the election due to the tense situation.

Similar incidents occured at a couple of places in Anantapur district. In Dayyalakuntapalli, YSRCP leaders allegedly tore the election certificate of a TDP leader who was elected as Chairman of the school committee.

Elections were conducted to school management committees for over 40,000 schools across the state on Wednesday.

These committees, comprising three parents/guardians of the students from each class, play a major role in planning and executing the developmental, personnel, financial and operational activities of the school concerned.

The headmaster, another teacher, ward member/corporator/councillor/village president, anganwadi worker, ANM and President of women's welfare group of the village concerned act as ex-officio members. Two co-opted members are also nominated to the committee.

The clashes between two parties during school management committees occurred even as the trouble continued at few places after counting of the ZPTC and the MPTC polls on September 19.

YSRCP workers allegedly attacked the house of former ZPTC member of TDP, B Sharada at Kopparru village of Pedanandipadu mandal of Guntur district. TDP leaders alleged that YSRCP men ransacked her house and set it afire. The incident led to a clash between the two groups.