Daijiworld Media Network - Chamarajanagar (SP)

Chamarajanagar, Mar 21: On the very first day of filing of nomination papers for the bypoll being held for Gundlupet assembly constituency in the district, fight broke out between bitter rivals, BJP and Congress workers. Workers of both the parties, who had gathered in front of the taluk office at Gundlupet during filing of nomination papers by their leaders, rained stones and footwear at each other. As a result, seven persons including three police personnel, were injured.

Bypoll for this constituency was necessitated on account of demise of the MLA representing the constituency, Mahadeva Prasad, a former minister.

11 am was the time allotted to BJP candidate, C S Niranjan Kumar, to file the nomination papers. Congress candidate, Dr Geeta Mahadeva Prasad, was scheduled to file papers at 12.30 pm on Monday. By the time BJP candidate took part in a procession and attended a public meeting before reaching the taluk office, it was 12.10 pm.

At that time, the concerned got information that Congress candidate was on her way to the taluk office for filing nomination. BJP leaders immediately filed nomination papers and came out. By then Geeta had reached the taluk office with a large number of her supporters. As such, Workers of the two parties came face to face opposite taluk office.

Initially the workers from both sides tried to make fun of their opponents by making faces, waving of flags, and raising slogans.

Some miscreants, who used this opportunity to their advantage, started to toss stones and footwear towards the opponents. Workers of both parties got angry as they felt the opponents were the ones perpetrating the violence, and they too got engaged in the battle. Initially the police tried to control the situation peacefully but when the situation threatened to go out of hand, they resorted to light caning.

The miscreants threw some stones at the police too, as a result of which assistant sub-inspector, Nagaraju, and constables, Manjunatha Swamy and Nagaraju, suffered injuries. The police then resorted to lathi large and dispersed the crowd. Four persons said to be BJP workers, were also injured in the incident. All of them stand admitted into the hospital for treatment.

At Nanjangud, former minister, Srinivas Prasad from BJP, and Congress candidate, Kalale Keshavamurthy, filed nomination papers.