Hyderabad: Protests continue to rock the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions against the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh even a month after the announcement in favour of separate Telangana state by the ruling Congress.
The united Andhra Pradesh supporters have been organising protest rallies, fasts, human chains, bike rallies, community kitchens and special prayers, etc across the two regions.
On July 30, Congress Working Committee gave its nod to the separate Telangana statehood demand.
Public transport and services in government offices have been badly hit as employees of various departments are on strikes, to protest against the division plan.
Elected representatives, especially those belonging to ruling Congress, are facing flak, and are under pressure to quit their posts.
Congress leaders such as senior MLA, JC Diwakar Reddy, have said that party candidates may not be able to save their security deposits in the next elections.
Leaders of ruling Congress and other parties from Seemandhra regions have said that they have not given up the efforts to avert the bifurcation.
As the agitation in Andhra-Rayalaseema regions against bifurcation is growing intense, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy last night issued a veiled warning to Congress, saying people will "declare a holiday" on a party or a government if their wishes were not heeded.
Seemandhra Congress leaders have planned to organise a hunger-strike in Hyderabad on September 03.
In another development, Telugu Desam Party politburo member and Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, today tendered resignation as MLC, protesting against "the manner" in which Congress proposed to bifurcate the state.
In Visakhapatnam, rallies, sit-ins and strikes against the bifurcation continued today. Commuters faced hardship as auto rickshaw drivers` union has called for a two-day strike in protest against the bifurcation.
Nearly 16,000 rickshaws were off the roads. Commercial establishments remained closed, following a call given by the Visakhapatnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A bandh was observed in the East Godavari district. In Kakinada, lawyers took out a bike-rally, while in Rajahmundry lawyers organised `all religion prayers.
In Vijayawada city and Krishna district, traders observed a bandh while students staged sit-ins at various places.
YSR Congress workers staged `Jail Bharo` agitation in support of its president YS Jaganmohan Reddy`s hunger strike in the jail in support of united Andhra Pradesh.
PTI
