TDP lends support to bandh

Amaravati: Friday would mark the beginning of series of agitations against the injustice meted out to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh by the Centre since bifurcation of the state.

Though the TDP is not supporting the bandh call given by the Prathyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti (PHSS), TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu directed the rank and file of the party to organise bike rallies, and protest wearing black badges.

MLAs would attend the Assembly wearing black shirts and the Assembly session would take up discussion on how the Centre had discriminated against the state and starved it of legitimate funds. It will also pass a unanimous resolution to the effect and it would be sent to the Central government. This coincides with the presentation of vote-on- account budget in Parliament by the NDA-led government.

The state government feels that the vote on account would be a populist one but is unlikely to have anything specific for Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, even if it announces it would not have sanctity since it is an interim budget and this government cannot make any promise on behalf of the future government, the party sources said.

Naidu would be going to New Delhi on Friday to meet leaders of all anti-BJP parties and will discuss with them about organising Kolkata-type rallies in various parts of the country. Naidu also asked party cadre to get ready for the proposed Deeksha at New Delhi on February 11. He said all MLAs should reach Delhi to participate in the deeksha.

The deeksha, which is being supported by the newly-formed JAC, is aimed at attracting the attention of the nation to the injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh. Led by Naidu, the JAC will submit a report to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12.

In a video-conference with party workers on Thursday Naidu said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP deceived not just AP but social activist Anna Hazare too.”

Reacting to the hunger strike launched by Hazare, Naidu stated that Modi cheated the social activist by making a false promise that Lokpal would be appointed.

Stating that, Modi's inefficiency was a curse to people, Naidu said that BJP is a proof for an inefficient rule in the country. Modi’s ego, he said, had led adversely affected the credibility of RBI, CBI and the Supreme Court and now it is the turn of National Statistical Commission (NSC).

Two of its members resigned as they could not get along with the Union government. Modi was impugning upon the independence of constitutional and statutory institutions, he said.