Andhra MPTC, ZPTC polls: YSRCP MLC arrested in Guntur over ballot box 'diversion' row
Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh's MPTC and ZPTC elections turned contentious overnight as YSRCP MLC Lella Appi Reddy was arrested in Guntur after a dramatic ballot box standoff at Nallapadu. With a ballot box also damaged in Anantapur and 37 violence incidents logged across 15 districts, the poll-day drama sets the stage for a tense count — and a fresh YSRCP-TDP flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
YSRCP MLC Lella Appi Reddy was arrested in Guntur in the early hours of 6 November after staging a protest over an alleged ballot box diversion at Nallapadu .
YSRCP alleged an election official was diverting the ballot box toward TDP leaders after polling at Vengalayapalem ; police said the activists snatched the box.
In Anantapur district , police registered non-bailable cases against 60 people for damaging a ballot box at a polling centre in Kuderu .
An additional case was filed against 5 people for obstructing polling staff in Anantapur.
DGP Harish Kumar Gupta confirmed 37 violence incidents across 15 districts during Thursday's MPTC and ZPTC polling.
YSRCP leader and Andhra Pradesh MLC Lella Appi Reddy was arrested in Guntur in the early hours of Friday, 6 November, after he and party supporters staged a protest alleging that an election official had diverted a ballot box instead of transporting it to the strong room following MPTC and ZPTC elections held across Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. The incident has added fresh controversy to what was already a poll day marred by sporadic violence across the state.
What YSRCP Alleged
According to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), polling concluded at Vengalayapalem on Thursday evening when an election official reportedly diverted a ballot box while en route to the strong room. The official allegedly stopped at Nallapadu Centre, unloaded the box, and was allegedly in the process of handing it over to leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) when a YSRCP candidate purportedly caught him in the act.
YSRCP leaders subsequently launched a two-hour dharna at Nallapadu. MLC Lella Appi Reddy arrived at the site and joined the demonstration.
Arrests and Police Version
Police used mild force to disperse the protesters and arrested Appi Reddy and several others on the grounds that they had obstructed election staff and taken the ballot box into their custody. The arrested individuals were taken to Nallapadu Police Station, where a formal case was registered against them.
The polling official, however, offered a different account, claiming the ballot box was merely being transferred to another vehicle when YSRCP activists allegedly snatched it. The competing accounts could not be independently verified immediately.
Ballot Box Damaged in Anantapur
A separate and more serious incident unfolded in Anantapur district, where police registered a case against 60 people after a ballot box was reportedly taken away from a polling centre at Kuderu and damaged. Officials filed a complaint, and police registered non-bailable cases against all 60 accused. A police officer stated that the accused had been identified and that efforts were under way to arrest them. An additional case was registered against five people for obstructing polling staff from performing their duties.
State-Wide Violence Tally
Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta confirmed that 37 incidents of violence were reported across 15 districts of Andhra Pradesh during Thursday's polling. Gupta directed police officials to deploy available technology to identify those responsible and to initiate strict legal action against anyone found guilty of electoral malpractice or disrupting the poll process.
Notably, this is not the first time local body elections in Andhra Pradesh have been accompanied by allegations of poll-day irregularities and clashes between rival party workers, underscoring the intensity of grassroots political competition in the state between the YSRCP and TDP. With vote-counting still ahead, both the administration and party leaderships are likely to remain on high alert in the coming days.
Point of View
Where YSRCP and TDP have consistently contested every polling station as a proxy war for statewide dominance. The competing narratives — official vehicle transfer versus partisan diversion — remain unverified, but the optics of an MLC being arrested hours after polls closed will fuel both sides. With 37 incidents across 15 districts, Thursday's poll was not an anomaly but part of a recurring pattern; the administration's credibility now rests on whether DGP Gupta's promised accountability translates into convictions, or fades as it has in previous election cycles.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was YSRCP MLC Lella Appi Reddy arrested in Guntur?
Lella Appi Reddy was arrested in the early hours of 6 November for allegedly obstructing election staff and taking a ballot box into his custody during a protest at Nallapadu in Guntur. The protest followed YSRCP's claim that an election official was diverting the ballot box toward TDP leaders after polling at Vengalayapalem concluded on Thursday.
What did YSRCP allege about the ballot box diversion?
YSRCP alleged that after polling ended at Vengalayapalem, an election official stopped at Nallapadu Centre instead of proceeding to the strong room and was purportedly attempting to hand the ballot box to TDP leaders. A YSRCP candidate reportedly caught the official in the act. The official denied the allegation, saying the box was being transferred to another vehicle.
What happened to the ballot box in Anantapur district?
In Anantapur district, unidentified individuals entered a polling centre at Kuderu, took away a ballot box, and damaged it. Police filed non-bailable cases against 60 people and a separate case against 5 others for obstructing polling staff. Authorities confirmed the accused had been identified and arrests were under way.
How much violence was reported during Andhra Pradesh MPTC and ZPTC polls?
Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta confirmed 37 incidents of violence reported across 15 districts of Andhra Pradesh during Thursday's MPTC and ZPTC polling. He directed police to use available technology to identify perpetrators and take strict action against electoral malpractice.
What are MPTC and ZPTC elections in Andhra Pradesh?
MPTC stands for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies and ZPTC stands for Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies — the two tiers of rural local body governance in Andhra Pradesh. These elections determine representation at the mandal and district panchayat levels and are keenly contested by all major parties as a measure of grassroots influence.
