Bandh evokes good response in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Bandh evoked good response from all sections of people here on Thursday. The leaders of all major political parties joined hands by participating in protests at various centres.  

Traders closed their business establishments voluntarily. The APSRTC stopped their services from morning hours. Theatres cancelled the morning shows while one day holiday was announced for educational institutions, including private and government schools and colleges. The city wore a deserted look due to bandh.

Penamaluru TDP MLA Bode Prasad tonsured his head as part of novel protest while leaders of YSR Congress Party and members of various students organisations participated in demonstrations. 

Police heaved a sigh of relief when there were no untoward incident reported in the city. Meanwhile, the film critic Katti Mahesh was present in the protest, along with the leaders of Left parties. 

Ministers P Narayana and Kollu Ravindra extended their support by participating in the protests, along with local leaders of Telugu Desam. The leaders of CPI and CPM blocked the entrance of Pundit Nehru Bus Station in Vijayawada city in the early hours of Thursday. The management of the RTC taken a decision to stop operations of bus services. 

CPI city secretary Donepudi Shankar, CPM city secretary D Kasinath, senior leader Ch Babu Rao and other leaders were present. They took out a bike rally also. The Telugu Desam leaders staged a protest at Dharna Chowk. 

MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, former Mayor Tadi Sakuntala and several local leaders were present. Minister Narayana extended his support and demanded the Centre render justice for the state.   

On the other hand, the YSR Congress Party and Congress staged a protest at Lenin Centre. They raised slogans against the Centre. Former minister and YSR Congress Party senior leader K Pardha Saradhi said the State and Central governments were cheating the people of the state. 

Former MLA Malladi Vishnu was present. Mahila Congress president Sunkara Padmashree and women leaders played kabaddi on Karl Marx Road as a part of novel protest. 

Former corportors P Goutam Reddy and Y Srinivasa Rao took part in unique protest. Several voluntary organisations, trade unions and journalists associations were also present in the bandh.