• Source:JND
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An Andhra Pradesh MLA slapped a voter at a polling station in Guntur district during the fourth phase of Lok Sabha Election 2024 on May 13. The incident reportedly took place when the man objected to YSR Congress Party MLA A Sivakumar cutting off the queue at the polling station. A video of the incident shows the legislator arguing with the voter and then slapping him across the face.        

The viral video also showed how the voter returned the blow, trying to hit the MLA with the same intensity. However, the MLA’s aides join him to launch an assault on the voter. Other voters who were standing in the queue for their turn to vote, tried to stop the assault as the MLA’s aides kept hitting the voter.  

The 10-second video, which went viral on social media platforms, showed that no security personnel were present to intervene to rescue the voter, who was assaulted by the MLA and his aides on the day of voting while he was exercising his voting rights. The exact reason behind the escalation is not clear so far, but the MLA’s attack on the voter came under strong criticism, where netizens denounced the legislator’s action. 

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Voters in Andhra Pradesh are voting to select their representatives for the 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats on May 13. YSR Congress Party is in power in the state with 135 seats in the legislative assembly, which is now facing a fierce battle against an alliance of the BJP and Telugu Desam Party (TDP). 

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BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala also shared the video of the incident and said it displayed the “VVIP arrogance" and “goondagardi” of the ruling YSR Congress Party. “If this is how they are treating voters at the polling booth, imagine what they will do post elections,’’ he wrote on X.