One person was killed in violent clashes between Congress and Telugu Desam activists in East Godavari, even as 21 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over 147 assembly segments in 10 districts in Andhra Pradesh went to the polls on Monday.

Polling started on a dull note and only 12 per cent votes were polled in the first two hours till 9 am.

Police sources said several minor incidents were also reported from other places, particularly Guntur district.

At Rompicherla in faction-ridden Narasaraopet assembly segment, Congress and Telugu Desam activists clashed and hurled crude bombs at each other.

In another incident, a Telugu Desam activist was killed by Congress supporters at Pallam village in Mummidivaram assembly segment in East Godavari district.

Three Congress workers were injured, one of them seriously, in Vetlapalam village in Peddapuram assembly segment when Telugu Desam activists clashed with them.

In Gundigunmala forest area in Vinukonda assembly segment in Guntur district, a fierce exchange of fire took place between a special police party and outlawed People's War group Naxalites at around 2 am.

The police later recovered a single-barreled gun and two claymore mines from the site.

The state police has deployed 80,000 personnel, including 150 companies of central para-military and 18 companies of AP special police, to ensure peaceful polling.

Strict vigil is being kept in areas prone to Naxalite activity and factional violence, particularly Prakasam and Guntur districts in south coastal Andhra and Chittoor, Cuddapah, Anantapur and Kurnool districts in Rayalaseema region.