Left parties demand scientific division of Prakasam district

Ongole: It is irrational to divide districts by considering parliamentary constituencies as the limits, opined leaders of Left parties. They staged a protest at the District Collectorate in Ongole on Wednesday, demanding the government to carve out a district with Markapuram, Yerragondapalem, Kanigiri, Darsi and Giddalur Assembly constituencies and to keep Addanki and Kandukur in Prakasam district.

Speaking at the protest, leaders including CPM district secretary Punati Anjaneyulu, CPI district secretary ML Narayana, CPI (ML) New Democracy district secretary Chittipati Venkateswarlu, CPI (ML) district secretary S Lalitha Kumari, CPM western Prakasam secretary Syed Hanif, CPI western Prakasam leader Ande Nasaraiah and others demanded that the government should not take decisions in haste with reference to parliamentary constituencies, as they change every few years.

They questioned why the senior officers and politicians proposed unscientific and irrational method to divide the districts.

They explained that Prakasam district, which was formed by combining backward areas more than 50 years ago, is still backward as it lacks water sources for irrigation and drinking.

The leaders alleged that the government discriminates against Prakasam district and not giving a chance for development and neglecting the projects to damage self-sustainability. They alleged that the government is dividing the district with a focus to win at 2024 elections and lending a deaf ear to public demands.

They said that some places in the western area are about 150 km from Ongole, which is similar to Addanki to Bapatla town, the proposed new district headquarters, and Kandukur to Nellore.

They demanded the government to consider public demand of making Markapuram as the headquarters for the western area Assembly constituencies and keep Addanki and Kandukur in Prakasam district. They said that after a lot of agitation, Prakasam district public brought Ramayapatnam port to the district, but now with districts' division, the government is taking away the port to Nellore.

They opined that with the division of Prakasam district into just two districts, the government can provide enough opportunities to the eastern and western Prakasam for development.

CPI town secretary Sd Sardar, CPM town secretary G Ramesh and other left parties leaders GV Kondareddy, Sk Mabu, Kankanala Anjaneyulu, Chikati Srinivasa Rao, Jala Anjaiah, Penyala Hanumantha Rao, Pamidi Venkatarao and others also participated in the program.