AP bandh peaceful

Amaravati: A state-wide bandh was observed by various organisations in Andhra Pradesh on Friday, demanding that the Centre immediately accord special status category to the state and fulfil promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

The bandh given by Pratyeka Hoda Vibhajana Hameela Sadhana Samiti was supported by the Left-wing parties, the CPI, CPM, Congress and TDP.  These parties and organisations, responding to the call given by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to see that normal life was not disrupted lest it may send negative message to investors adopted novel ways of protests and by and large it remained peaceful.

Bus services were affected in many parts of the state till noon due to the protests staged by the Left parties, Congress and TDP in front of the APSRTC depots. Protests were made on the highways, main junctions in many parts of the state and rallies were taken out as part of the bandh.

Mahila Congress activists tried to stop the Navajeevan express at Vijayawada railway station. CPM state secretary P Madhu participated in the bike rally in Vijayawada. 

In Prakasam district, protests were staged in Ongole, Kandukuru, Chirala and other towns. DCC president E Sudhakar Reddy, CPI district president ML Narayana, Ongole Congress president Sripati Prakasam, and other CPM, AITUC, Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti leaders staged a protest in front of the RTC depot obstructing the movement of buses. 

Later, they organised a bike rally in the city. In Kakinada, there was lukewarm response to the bandh. Left parties staged a protest near the district collectorate in Kakinada. 

In Rayalaseema region, there was mixed response to the bandh in four districts on Friday. Bandh was nearly success in Tirupati, Chittoor and Madanapalli towns.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu shed his trademark light gold coloured outfit as he came to the Assembly clad in a black shirt and white trouser while other TDP legislators wore black shirts in protest against the Centre'’s "apathetic attitude" towards the state.

In Vijayawada, TDP, Congress and Left parties' leaders staged a demonstration in front of the RTC bus station, raising slogans against Narendra Modi government and blocking movement of buses.

Some protesters lay down on the main road blocking movement of traffic. The main opposition YSR Congress and the Jana Sena Party stayed away from the protest programme.