Special Category Status rasta roko leads to traffic snarls for two hours on national highway

Rajamahendravaram: Hundreds of vehicles were stranded for about two hours on the national highway due to rastaroko stir organised by all parties at Morampudi junction here on Thursday.

Leaders of various political parties participated in the agitation  demanding special category status to the state.  From Morampudi junction to Diwanchervu, the traffic was stalled on the national highway and tension prevailed for some time.

Leaders of all parties demanded the central government to accord special status to the state immediately, as was assured in Andhra Pradesh State Bifurcation Act-2014.

The central government can amend the act, if there are any hurdles for giving special category status to the state. The people cannot spare the BJP government's political gimmicks, the leaders said.

Special category status is the sentiment of the people of Andhra Pradesh and it is the duty of BJP government to accord it, they added. They warned the central government with serious consequences, if it fails to fulfil the justifiable demand of Andhra Pradesh and asked the government to be ready to face the wrath of the people. The agitators raised slogans against central government.

The police tried to convince the agitators but in vain. CPI leaders M Satyanarayana and N Rama Rao, CPM leaders T Arun, Murthi, YSRCP leaders RSP Rao, A Virraju, MS Reddy, K Durgesh and  JV Lakshmi, RPC leader Krishna, Congress leader NV Srinivas and several others participated in the protest programme.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) also staged dharna at Lalachervu with the same demand on its own. TDP leaders V Rambabu, PRS Sai, VS Rao, RM Rao and many others participated in the programme.