Andhra Pradesh, in the grip of turmoil for the last eight days over the proposed bifurcation, is now heading towards an administrative paralysis.
About 3,00,000 employees of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, who are up against the formation of Telangana State, have decided to go on an indefinite strike from the midnight of August 12. AP Non-Gazetted Officers Association, spearheading the movement for the unified State, has served a formal notice on the Government. Apart from the employees and teachers working in the two regions, the Seema-Andhra employees working in the State Secretariat will be on the strike.
Meanwhile, the public sector Road Transport Corporation employees have also served the strike notice in Vijaywada. As the buses are the main mode of transport for the public in the State, the bus strike will further add to the woes of the commuters. Similarly, the employees of power utilities have also decided to go on strike.
The State Secretariat continued to witness protest by Andhra employees. Some of them staged a novel protest by walking backwards suggesting that bifurcation of the State will be a retrograde step. The normal life remained derailed in the 13 districts of the two regions for the eighth consecutive day on Wednesday as the students, employees and workers of political parties took out processions, held demonstrations and blocked the roads.
As the agitators targeted the houses of political leaders and elected representatives, two more legislators tendered their resignations. In Kadapa, TDP member of legislative Council Satish Reddy sent his resignation to the Council chairman A Chakrapani. Congress member of the Assembly from Nellimarla in Vijayanagaram district also resigned in protest against Telangana.
In Hyderabad, member of the Assembly from Qutubullahpur Srisaialam Goud resigned from the YSR Congress Party against party’s anti-Telangana stand. In Nellore, students and others formed a human chain and closed the National Highway. They also laid siege to the house of senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu for the second consecutive day. In West Godavari, an all-party procession blocked the National Highway No 16. They cooked the food on the road. All the Government and private educational institutions in the two regions have declared holiday till August 12.
In Anantapur district, Telugu Desam Party MlA Paritala Sunita went on indefinite hunger strike at Ramagiri. In Chittoor, home district of party president N Chandrababu Naidu, the TDP called for a strike on Wednesday. In Guntur, Asia’s biggest chilly market remained closed as part of the protests.
In Vijayanagaram, tension prevailed when the police used batons to disperse the mob which had surrounded the house of State Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana demanding his resignation. In port town of Kakinada in East Godavari district, crowd laid a siege to the house of local MP and Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju demanding his resignation. Meanwhile, confusion was visible in the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party. Even after the party president Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the move to form Telangana, the party leaders were speaking in many voices.
TDP members of Rajya Sabha Sujana Choudhary and CM Ramesh wondered how a Congress committee can solve the problems of the people. “let there be an official committee headed by the Chief Minister to hear the concerns of the people”, they said. Another TDP leader Mudu Krishnamma Naidu alleged that it was the late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy who had sown the seed of division of the State back in 2001. “Now how can YSRCP blame others for it”, he said. He pointed out that YSRCP president YS Vijaylakshmi had given in writing that the party will support formation of Telangana State.
Andhra Pradesh, in the grip of turmoil for the last 8 days over the proposed bifurcation, was now heading towards an administrative paralysis. About 300,000 employees of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, who were up against the formation of Telangana state have decided to go on an indefinite strike from the midnight of August 12.
AP Non Gazetted Officers Association, spearheading the movement for unified state, has served a formal notice on the government. Apart from the employees and teachers working in the two regions, the Seema-Andhra employees working in the state secretariat will be on the strike. Meanwhile the public sector Road Transport Corporation employees have also served the strike notice in Vijaywada. As the buses were the main mode of transport for the public in the state, the bus strike will further add to woes of the commuters. Similarly the employees of power utilities have also decided to go on strike.
The state secretariat continued to witness protest by Andhra employees. Some ofthem staged a novel protest by walking backwards suggesting that bifurcation of the state will be a retrograde step. The normal life remain derailed in the 13 districts of the two regions for the 8th consecutive day today as the students, employees and workers of political parties took out processions, held demonstrations and blocked the roads.
As agitators targeted the houses of political leaders and elected representatives two more legislators tendered their resignations. In Kadapa TDP member of legislative council Satish Reddy sent his resignation to the council chairman A Chakrapani. Congress member of Assembly from Nellimarla in Vijayanagaram district also resigned in protest against Telangana state.
In Hyderabad member of assembly from Qutubullahpur Srisaialam Goud resigned from the YSR Congress party against party’s anti Telangana stand. In Nellore students and others formed a human chain and closed the national highway. They also surrounded the house of senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu for second consecutive day. In West Godavari an all party procession blocked the national highway NO. 16. They cooked the food on the road. All the government and private educational institutions in the two regions have declared holiday till August 12.
In Anantapur district, Telugu Desam MlA Paritala Sunita went on indefinite hunger strike at Ramagiri. In Chittoor, home district of party president N Chandrababu Naidu called for a strike today.In Guntur Asia’s biggest chilly market remain closed as part of the protests. In Vijayanagaram tension prevailed when the police used batons to disperse the mob which had surrounded the house of state Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana demanding his resignation. In port town of Kakinada in East Godavari district crowd laid a siege to the house of local MP and minister of state for defence Pallam Raju demanding his resignation.
Meanwhile Congress today formally announced formation of a four member committee to address the concerns and issues raised by some people over the proposed bifurcation. The committee, headed by defence minister A K Antony will include AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh, Veerappa Moily and Ahmad Patel, political secretary to Sonia Gandhi.
Digvijay Singh urged the Seema-Andhra employees not to go on strike but to take their issues before the Antony Committee. He urged all the political parties and the NGOs to do the same. Meanwhile confusion was visible in main opposition Telugu Desam party. Even after the party president Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the move to form Telangana state, the party leaders were speaking in many voices. TDP members of Rajya Sabha Sujana Choudhary and CM Ramesh wondered how a Congress committee can solve the problems of the people. “let there be an official committee headed by the Chief Minister to hear the concerns of the people”, they said.
Another TDP leader Mudu Krishnamma Naidu alleged that it was the late Chief Minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy who had sown the seed of division of the state back in 2001. “Now how can YSRCP blame others for it”, he said. He pointed out that YSRCP president YS Vijaylakshmi had given in writing that the party will support formation of Telangana state.