HYDERABAD, India, 3 July 2006 — A Congress party activist was murdered during violence in the second and last phase of local elections yesterday in 11 districts in Andhra Pradesh. Over 65 percent polling was reported, according to State Election Commission Secretary G.N. Rao.

Although Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen said that only one man was murdered in Guntur district, unofficial sources said three people lost their lives in election-related incidents in Guntur and Mahbubnagar districts. All the victims Congress activists and they were killed by their Telugu Desam Party rivals.

Police fire in the air at three places — Gonepudi village in Guntur district, Ramakrishnaiahpalli in Mahbubnagar district and Basinenipalli in Nellore district — to control rampaging mobs. Party activists attacked rivals with homemade bombs in at least four villages in Guntur district, police said.

Sen said the Congress activist died after he was stabbed in Kanaparru village in Nadendla mandal in Guntur district during a clash between TDP and Congress activists.

Elections were held for 520 zilla parishad territorial constituencies (ZPTCs) and 7,865 mandal parishad territorial constituencies (MPTCs) in Srikakulam, Visakhatpatnam, West Godavari, Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal and Rangareddy districts.

Election Commission sources indicated that re-election was likely to be held in 38 places due to incidents such as snatching and destruction of ballot papers, pouring of ink into ballot boxes, rigging and impersonation and mistakes in ballot papers.

Sen said 61,021 police personnel were deployed at 23,990 polling stations to maintain law and order.