Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena, Left Parties hold joint padyatra across Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYWADA: The Jana Sena and Left parties on Friday held a joint padyatra across Andhra Pradesh seeking a Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh. Announcing the plan for the yatra, Jana Sena president and film star Pawan Kalyan, CPI(M) state secretary P Madhu and CPI secretary K Ramakrishna had said that the padyatra will be held on all national and important highways across the state.

After the foot march, meetings would be organised by Jana Sena and the Left in Anantapuramu, Ongole and Vizianagaram with intellectuals on the special category status issue. "We will take our agitation forward in a phased manner and announce the plan in due course," the leaders said.

Kalyan had said that he would take part in the foot march on the National Highway in Vijayawada while Jana Sena and Left parties' cadres would conduct the agitation in a peaceful manner on other highways and important roads across the state. "This is in protest against the betrayal of people of Andhra Pradesh by the Government of India," they said.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also led a cycle rally with his ministers and TDP legislators on Friday to protest against the Centre's attitude towards the state with regard to the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He also held a teleconference with party MPs and accused BJP of avoiding his demand. "BJP is running away by repeatedly adjourning Parliament for last many days," he said. "If Parliament is adjourned sine die today, our MPs must meet the President."

There has been an increased demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh which Telugu Desam Party claims that the state was assured of when Telangana was formed. The alliance with the BJP had also taken a hit over the issue when the TDP walked out of the NDA. Naidu has made several visits to Delhi and has also held talks with opposition leaders.