Tirupati: Nominations for the MPTC-ZPTC elections gathered momentum across Rayalaseema on Friday, the final day of the nomination phase. Despite sporadic clashes in several places, candidates representing the YSRCP, TDP, Jana Sena and other political groups filed their nominations amid heightened police presence and security measures across the region.The political face-off between former YSRCP MLA Kethireddy Pedda Reddy and former TDP municipal chairman JC Prabhakar Reddy kept Tadipatri and Yellanur in Anantapur district on edge. Pedda Reddy, meanwhile, announced a boycott of the elections in both Tadipatri and Yellanur.Tension flared in Yellanur after YSRCP activists staged a protest, alleging that their candidates were being prevented from filing nominations. The protest drew more party workers to the Yellanur police station, where TDP activists also gathered. An altercation between the two groups escalated into clashes and stone-pelting, prompting police to intervene and disperse the rival groups.“Though false cases have been foisted on us over the last two-and-a-half years, we have not retaliated as party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has kept our hands tied. But it will not be long before we are forced to respond, as we are fed up with the continuing midnight attacks and stone-pelting incidents targeting the houses of local YSRCP leaders,” Pedda Reddy reportedly told a police officer who attempted to confine him to his residence on Friday.Meanwhile, clashes erupted between TDP and YSRCP cadres at the nomination centre in Kalasapadu, Kadapa district. Armed with sticks and stones, workers from both parties attacked each other, leaving a woman with a severe head injury. Police resorted to a mild lathi-charge to disperse the groups and bring the situation under control.In Annamayya district, YSRCP activists staged a protest at Ambedkar-Gandhi Circle in Piler, tearing up their nomination papers in protest against what they alleged were attempts to obstruct them from filing nominations. Annamayya SP Dheeraj Kanubilli reached the spot and attempted to pacify the protesters.Similar protests were reported at Puthalapattu in Chittoor district, where YSRCP activists led by former MLA Suneel Kumar staged a sit-in, alleging that TDP workers were tearing up the nomination papers of their candidates.Meanwhile, Punganur police registered cases against 177 YSRCP activists in connection with the violence reported at the nomination centre in Punganur, Annamayya district, on Oct 21. Police alleged that the activists were involved in an attack on TDP workers.According to Punganur circle inspector Subbarayudu, YSRCP activists attacked G Sivananda, a TDP activist from Gopisetti Palle, and several other party workers. Acting on a complaint lodged by Sivananda’s father, G Narayana Swamy, police booked them, including former Chittoor MP N Reddeppa. Sources said 15 of the accused were taken into custody, produced before a local court and subsequently remanded in judicial custody.